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AMBUSH 


AMBUSH 


BY 


ARTHUR  RICHMAN 


NEW  YORK 

DUFFIELD    &    COMPANY 

1922 


Copyright,  1922,  by 
DUFFIELD  &  COMPANY 


Printed  in  U.  8.  A. 


AMBUSH 


48 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2006  with  funding  from 

Yahoo! 


http://www.archive.org/details/ambushOOrichrich 


CAST 

of  the  Original  Production  by 

THE  THEATRE  GUILD 

under  the  direction  of 

Robert  Milton 


CHARACTERS 

(In  the  order  of  their  appearance) 


WALTER    NICHOLS 
HARRIETT  NICHOLS 
HARRY  GLEASON    .      , 
MARGARET    NICHOLS 
SEYMOUR    JENNISON 
MRS.   JENNISON      . 
A  CHAUFFEUR    .      . 
ALAN    KRAIGNE      . 
HOWARD   KRAIGNE 
GEORGE  LITHRIDGE 


Frank    Reicher 

Jane  Wheatley 

.     Charles  Ellis 

Florence     Eldridge 

.    John  Craig 

Catherine   Proctor 

.     Edwin  R.  Wolfe 

.  Noel  Leslie 

.  Edward  Donnelly 

.    George  Stillwell 


CHARACTERS 

Walter  Nichols 
Seymour  Jennison 
Howard  Kraigne 
Alan  Kraigne 
George    Lithridge 
Harry   Gleason 
A  Chauffeur 
Harriett  Nichols 
Margaret  Nichols 
Mrs.  Jennison. 

SYNOPSIS  OF  SCENES. 

Act   I: 
Living  Room  of  the  Nichols   Home.     Near  Jersey  City. 

Act  II: 

Same  as  Act  I.     Next  morning. 

The  curtain  will  be  lowered  to  denote  the  passing  of 
four  hours. 

Act  III: 

Same  as  Act  II.     Six  months  later. 

[Note: — The  audience  sees  the  incidents  of  the  play 
through  the  eyes  of  Walter  Nichols,  for  it  is  with  him  alone 
that  we  are  concerned.  Whatever  occurs  when  he  is  not 
present  is  therefore  not  represented.] 


AMBUSH 
Act  I. 

SCENE — The  living-room,  also  used  as  a  dining-room, 
is  not  an  attractive  apartment.  The  general  effect  is  one  of 
neatness,  but  the  furniture  is  old  and  the  wall-paper  some- 
what faded. 

There  are  two  windows  at  rear,  and  between  them  stands 
a  sideboard;  beneath  the  right  window  is  a  table  with  a  tele- 
phone upon  it.  At  center  three  chairs  are  drawn  up  to  a 
large  table,  from  which  the  tablecloth  has  not  yet  been  re- 
moved. At  left  a  fireplace  is  surmounted  by  a  mantel  on 
which  stand  a  few  old-fashioned  ornaments;  two  comfort- 
able chairs  flanJc  the  fireplace.  A  desk  stands  against  the 
right  wall,  where  a  staircase  leads  to  the  bedrooms.  Be- 
tween the  dining-table  and  the  door  at  right  which  leads  to 
the  kitchen  is  a  small  sewing-table  with  a  rocker  beside  it. 
There  is  a  chandelier  at  center;  there  are  some  book  shelves 
in  the  corner  near  the  fireplace. 

At  right  rear  a  door  opens  on  the  narrow  porch  which  is 
visible,  together  with  the  steps  to  the  street,  through  the  two 
windows.    The  light  outside  is  that  of  a  summer  evening. 

At  rise  of  the  curtain,  Walter  Nichols  is  finishing  his  cof- 
fee, and  Harriett  is  already  clearing  the  table. 

Walter  is  forty-five,  but  looks  older.  He  is  of  medium 
height  and  slim,  but  his  face  is  thickly  lined  and  his  hair  is 
beginning  to  turn  gray.  He  wears  a  suit  of  dark  material, 
cheap  in  texture,  but  neat.  He  looks  the  typical  clerk. 
There  is  something  gentle,  almost  benevolent,  about  Walter. 
Life  for  him  has  been  a  continuous  struggle,  but  it  has  bred 
in  him  no  bitterness.  He  is  quiet,  well-mannered,  very  con- 
siderate,  a   little  too   deferential;  and   while   others   have 


2  AMBUSH 

passed  him  in  the  race  for  financial  success,  he  has  watched 
them  with  no  envy:  his  own  aim  has  been  to  keep  his  char- 
acter untarnished  and  to  see  his  wife  and  daughter  shape 
their  lives  in  accordance  with  the  accepted  conventional 
code. 


Walter. 
[Glancing  at  the  stairs.]     What's  Margaret  doing? 

Harriett. 
She's  dressing  to  go  out. 

[Walter  reads  the  paper.  Exit  Harriett.  A 
bell  rings.  Walter  goes  to  door  and  opens 
it.  Enter  Harry  Gleason,  twenty-five,  good 
looking  in  a  rather  common  way.  His  manners 
are  none  too  good  and  his  speech  is  careless. 
He  is  dressed  like  a  youth  who  takes  pride  in 
appearing  sporty,  wearing  clothes  of  a  kind 
one  sees  on  Broadway.  A  soft  cap  is  set  at  an 
angle.'] 

Harry. 
Hello,  Mr.  Nichols. 

Walter. 

[Shakes   hands.]      Good  evening,   Harry.      Won't  you 
come  in? 

Harry. 

Thanks.     Margaret  home? 


AMBUSH  3 

Walter. 

She's  upstairs.      [Trying  to  soften   the  disappointment 
by  his  tone.]      I'm  afraid  she's  going  out. 

Harry. 

[Nonchalantly.]     Yes?     Suppose  I  could  see  her? 

Walter. 

I  don't  see  why  not  [Calls.]  Harriett! 

[To  Harry,  who  lights  cigarette.]     We  haven't  seen  you 
in  two  or  three  weeks,  Harry ;  how  have  you  been  ? 

Harry. 

Pretty  well,  thanks. 

[Harriett  enters.] 
Good  evening,  Mrs.  Nichols. 

[Harriett  Nichols,  a  few  years  younger  than 
her  husband,  tall  and  thin,  is  a  woman  accus- 
tomed to  doing  her  own  housework  and  who 
shows  the  effects  of  it.  She  has  performed 
her  duties  faithfully  but  grudgingly  and  year 
by  year  little  bitternesses  have  piled  up  in  her 
heart,  corroding  the  illusions  that  once  dwelt 
there.  If  she  had  a  sense  of  humor,  it  has 
mostly  disappeared,  and  what  remains  (or,  to  be 
precise,  what  has  taken  its  place)  is  a  dull 
cynicism.  It  may  be  doubted  that  she  intends 
to  be  humorous  even  when  she  is.  Her  condition 
differs  from  her  husband's  as  the  condition  of  a 
person  who  has  no  inner  resources  will  always 
differ  from  the  condition  of  one  who  has.  She 
has  seen  glimmers  of  her  husband's  personal- 


4  AMBUSH 

ity  without  comprehending  what  she  saw. 
To  her  his  comparative  contentment  has 
seemed  merely  lack  of  ambition,  and  she  mis- 
trusts his  judgment  on  almost  every  question. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  natural  dignity  of  his 
character  and  the  innate  refinement  of  his 
speech  and  manner  have  bred  in  her  a  vague 
respect  for  his  feelings,  mixed  with  resentment 
for  his  aloofness.  She  wears  a  plain  dress 
of  cheap  material.  She  is  neat  enough,  but 
her  bearing  is  slovenly.  If  this  latter  fact 
were  mentioned  to  her,  she  would  probably 
respond  that  "There  is  nothing  to  stand  up 
straight  for."] 

Harriett. 
Good  evening,  Harry.      [To  Walter.]     What  is  it? 

Walter. 
Harry  wants  to  see  Margaret. 

Harriett. 

Margaret's  dressing.  Excuse  the  way  I  look — I'm  jusi 
clearing  the  table.  Margaret's  going  out  automobiling, 
and  she's  just  changing  her  clothes. 


Automobiling? 


Walter. 


Harriett  . 


With  Mr.  Kraigne.     He's  coming  over  from  near  Mor- 
ristown,  where  they  live.     How's  your  mother? 


AMBUSH  5 

Harry. 

She's  getting  along.     Do  you  think  Margaret'll  be  long? 

Harriett. 

I'll  tell  her  you're  here.     [Exit  Harriett  upstairs.] 

Walter. 

How  long  it  remains  light,  this  season  of  the  year. 
[ Turns.]  No,  we  haven't  seen  you  in  some  time.  I  asked 
Margaret  about  you  once. 

Harry. 

What'd  she  say?, 

Walter. 

She  didn't  seem  to  know  where  you  were.  Did  you 
young  people  have  a  quarrel  or  anything? 

Harry. 
Oh,  I've  been  busy. 

Walter. 
Working  nights,  I  suppose.     Like  your  present  job? 

Harry. 

Not  very  much.  But  it's  better  than  having  a  job  in 
New  York — I  don't  have  to  travel  in  that  tube,  anyhow. 

Walter. 

I  don't  mind  the  tube,  myself,  only  when  it's  crowded. 
I  remember  when  there  wasn't  any,  and  we  all  had  to  use 


6  AMBUSH 

the  ferry.     I  get  a  chance  to  read  the  papers  in  the  tube. 
It  was  terribly  crowded  tonight. 

Harry. 
Margaret  still  working  in  New  York? 

Walter. 

Yes;  doing  very  well,  too.  [Looks  up.  Harry  smiles.] 
You  seem  surprised.  Did  you  expect  Margaret  to  lose  her 
position  ? 

Harry. 

Not  lose  it.  But  when  people  outgrow  their  friends, 
they  sometimes  feel  too  big  for  their  jobs,  too. 


W 


ALTER. 


That  certainly  isn't  true  of  Margaret. 

[Harry  smiles.] 
Aren't  you  good  friends  any  more? 

Harry. 

When  do  I  see  her?     Every  time  I  come  here  she  has  a 
date,  or  she  makes  some  kind  of  an  excuse. 

Walter. 
Have  you  two  quarreled? 

Harry. 

It's  only  natural  that  I  should  talk  to  her  about  it. 

Walter. 
About  what? 


AMBUSH  7 

Harry. 

About  her  liking  to  go  out  with  men  who  can  afford  to 
spend  more  money  than  I  can. 

Walter. 
What  did  she  say? 

Harry. 

She  denied  it,  of  course,  but  she  knows  I'm  right. 

Walter. 

I  don't  believe  it.  [Shakes  his  head.  Harry  laughs.] 
No,  Harry,  I  don't  believe  that  Margaret  chooses  her 
friends  for  the  money  they've  got.  You  two  have  had 
some  misunderstanding — it  often  happens  among  young 
people. 

Harry. 

[Sullenly.]  I  wouldn't  care  so  much,  only  it  makes  me 
look  so  foolish. 


Walter, 


What  does? 


Harry. 

Oh,  we  used  to  be  seen  together  a  lot.     Now,  when  peo- 
ple ask  me  where  she  is,  I  don't  know  what  to  say. 

[Enter  Margaret  from  the  stairs.  She  is 
young  and  very  pretty.  Her  clothes  are  in- 
expensive but  in  the  prevailing  fashion.  Mar- 
garet is  more  her  mother's  daughter  than  her 
father's.     She    resents   the   fate   that    compels 


8  AMBUSH 

her  to  live  in  a  middle-class  environment,  and 
she  keeps  before  her  the  picture  of  a  more 
luxurious  life  to  come.  Her  manner  and  voice 
are  sweet  and  gentle;  it  is  only  at  certain  mo- 
ments that  either  takes  on  any  hardness.] 

Margaret. 
Hello,  Harry. 

[Her  manner  is  intimate,  but  not  cordial.] 

Harry. 
Hello.     I  hear  you've  got  a  "date." 

[Harriett  comes  down  stairs.] 

Margaret. 

I  have  an  engagement  with  Alan  Kraigne — he's  driv- 
ing over  from  Morristown,  and  we're  going  for  a  ride. 

Harry. 

I  thought  we  might  go  to  a  movie  or  something. 

Margaret. 
Sorry. 

Harry. 

[Sneering.]     Yes,  you're  very  sorry! 

Margaret. 

All  right,  then,  I'm  not.     Do  you  like  that  any  better? 
[Laughs.] 

Walter. 
Margaret ! 


AMBUSH  9 

Margaret. 
Did  you  want  to  talk  to  me  about  anything  in  particular? 

Harry. 

[Scornfully.]     If  you  can  spare  a  minute  or  two — 

Margaret. 

That's  about  all  I  can  spare.  Come  out  on  the  porch, 
if  you  want  to.     [Exeunt  both.] 

Walter. 

I  guess  Margaret  and  Harry  have  had  a  quarrel. 

[Harriett  is  silent.] 
Have  they? 

Harriett. 

I  don't  know;  it  wouldn't  matter  much. 

Walter. 

They've  known  each  other  since  they  were  children — 

Harriett. 
He  doesn't  amount  to  much,  I  guess. 

[Walter  reads  newspaper.] 
Finished  with  the  paper? 
[Walter  hands  her  the  paper.] 

Walter. 

I  nearly  forgot.  [Smiling,  he  takes  some  money  from 
his  pocket.  As  she  is  paying  no  attention,  he  dangles  the 
money  before  her  eyes.]     Saturday  night! 


10  AMBUSH 

Harriett. 
[Taking  the  money.]     I  wish  it  was  more. 

Walter. 
It  will  be,  some  day. 

Harriett. 
The  Lord  knows ! 

Walter. 

It's  more  than  it  was  a  year  ago. 

Harriett. 

[Bent  on  resisting  his  cheerfulness.]  Things  are 
dearer,  too. 

Walter. 

We're  better  off  than  some  people,  Harriett.  [Picks 
magazine  from  mantel.] 

Harriett. 

Yes,  and  worse  off  than  others.  [Sits  in  rocker.]  Mrs. 
Jennison  was  here  today.  You  know,  Seymour's  made  a 
lot  o'  money  this  year.  They've  got  that  new  automobile 
he  was  always  talking  about. 

Walter. 

I'm  glad  of  that;  owning  things  means  a  lot  to  a  man 
like  Seymour. 

Harriett. 

I  suppose  owning  things  don't  mean  a  lot  to  other  peo- 
ple, too! 


AMBUSH  11 

Walter. 
[Looking  at  magazine.]     To  some  more  than  to  others. 

Harriett. 

[Scornfully.]  Yes,  I  know.  You  care  about  char- 
acter and  principles  and  things  like  that.  Lot  o'  good  it 
does  you! 

Walter. 

It  does  in  a  way.  I  suppose,  if  I  ever  lose  the  right 
to  respect  myself,  nothing  would  make  up  to  me  for  it. 

Harriett. 

[Dryly.]  Then  I  hope  you  don't  lose  it.  [Her  grim 
humor  evokes  a  smile  in  him.]  What  are  you  laughing 
at? 

Walter. 

You.  You're  so  practical  and  matter  of  fact.  Nothing 
worries  you,  or,  if  it  does,  not  for  long.  I'm  different — 
I  fret  over  trifles. 

Harriett. 
As  long  as  you  know  you  do,  why  don't  you  stop? 
[Presently  Walter  speaks  in  a  serious  tone.] 

Walter. 
I'm  worried  about  Margaret. 

Harriett. 
What's  the  matter  with  Margaret? 


12  AMBUSH 

Walter. 

Some  things  Harry  said  that  you  didn't  hear — they're 
partly  true. 

Harriett. 
What  did  he  say? 

Walter. 

He  feels  that  Margaret  cares  to  know  only  people  of 
wealth.     That's  what  I  understand  him  to  mean. 

Harriett. 

Why  do  you  take  any  stock  in  what  he  says?     He  likes 
Margaret  and  he  hates  having  her  go  with  anybody  else. 

Walter. 
I  seemed  to  notice  the  same  thing  in  her,  myself. 

Harriett. 

That  she  only  cares  about  people  with  money?     I  guess 
three-quarters  of  the  world  is  like  that. 

[The  conversation  ends  at  this,  for  Margaret 
and  Harry  come  into  the  house.] 

Harry. 

[As  they  come  in.]    Well,  I  haven't  got  one. 

Margaret. 
[Smiling.]     No,  Harry,  I  know  you  haven't. 


AMBUSH  13 

Harry. 

If  you're  going  to  change  your  friends  on  account  of 
money  and  automobiles,  it's  your  own  business. 

Margaret. 
Harry,  you  talk  like  a  fool! 

Harry. 
I  may  talk  like  one,  but  that  don't  mean  that  I  am  one. 

Margaret. 

If  it  comes  to  that,  I've  a  right  to  choose  my  friends 
wherever  I  feel  like  it.  It's  nothing  against  a  man  to  be 
rich. 

Harry. 

All  right.  I  thought  I'd  save  you  some  trouble,  that's 
all.     Some  o'  the  people  around  here  are  beginning  to  talk. 

Margaret. 
Let  them  talk,  what  do  I  care! 

Harry. 

Oh,  I  know.  It's  none  o'  my  business.  And  if  I  didn't 
think  so  much  of  your  mother  and  father,  I  wouldn't  say 
anything  about  it. 

Walter. 

Harry,  I'm  surprised  that  you  should  take  this  tone  to 
Margaret. 


14  AMBUSH 

Margaret. 

He's  mad  because  I  won't  go  out  with  him.  Well,  I 
won't.  Not  only  tonight,  but  I  won't  go  out  with  you 
any  other  night,  either.  You  don't  need  to  come  around 
here  and  you  don't  need  to  call  me  up. 

Harry. 

You  needn't  take  it  like  that.  Maybe  I  got  too  fresh. 
I  apologize. 

[She  makes  an  impatient  gesture.] 

I  can't  do  any  more  than  that. 

Margaret. 

[Takes  gloves  from  sewing  table.]  Better  hurry  if 
you're  going  to  play  pool — your  friends'll  be  waiting  for 
you. 

[Harry  makes  no  reply.     He  jams  his  hat  on 
his  head  and  goes  out  at  right.] 

Walter. 
Is  it  true  that  people  are  talking  about  you? 

Margaret. 

They've  got  nothing  to  talk  about.  What  do  I  do  that's 
wrong?      He's    just    a    common    little    sneak. 

Walter. 
Margaret ! 

Margaret. 
Well,  he  is. 


AMBUSH  15 

Walter. 
You  used  to  be  such  good  friends — and  now — 

Harriett. 
She's  growing  up — she  knows  better  now. 

Margaret. 

When  I  see  him  nowadays,  I  wonder  how  I  could  ever 
stand  him. 

Walter. 

You  shouldn't  talk  like  that  about  old  friends.     Harry 
is  very  fond  of  you. 

Margaret. 

That  doesn't  give  him  the  right  to  forget  his  manners, 
does  it? 

Harriett. 

[In  a  tone  that  ends  the  argument.]     She's  perfectly 
right. 

Margaret. 
Mother,  please. 

Harriett. 

[To  Walter.]     You  make  mountains  out  o'  mole-hills. 
[Margaret  sits  in  Harriett's  lap.    To  Margaret.] 
Come  closer. 

[Margaret  does  so  and  Harriett  buttons  the  back  of 
her  dress.] 


16  AMBUSH 

Walter. 

Did    you    talk    to    Harry    without    having    your    dress 
buttoned  ? 

Harriett. 

What  did  you  want  me  to  do;  go  upstairs  with  her 
again?     [Finishes  the  work.]     There! 

[Margaret  saunters  toward  window,  glancing  up 
the  road.  Harriett  starts  sewing  handker- 
chiefs in  sewing  box.     Turns  on  table  lamp.] 

Margaret. 

[At  window.]     What  time  is  it,  father? 

Walter. 

[Consulting  his  watch.]      Five  minutes  to  eight.    Where 
are  you  going  tonight,  dear? 

Margaret. 

Just  motoring. 

Walter. 

Mr.  Kraigne  and  you  alone?     No  one  else? 

Margaret. 
We  might  pick  up  some  friends  of  his — I  don't  know. 

Walter. 

I'd  take  a  wrap — it's  only  June,  and  it  may  blow  up 
cooler. 

Margaret. 
They  always  have  wraps  in  the  car. 


AMBUSH  17 

Walter. 
What  time  will  you  be  home? 

Margaret. 

[Angrily.]  For  heaven's  sake,  stop  asking  questions! 
[Walter  starts  to  speak.] 

I  know  what  you're  going  to  say — it's  only  your  love 
for  me.  But  I'm  nearly  twenty,  Dad,  and  for  two  years 
I've  been  working  in  New  York.  I  think  I'm  entitled  to 
do  as  I  please  once  in  a  while ! 

Walter. 

[Gently.]  I  meant  nothing  by  my  questions.  It's 
natural  that  I  should  want  to  know  what  you  do  and  who 
your  friends  are.  Your  mother  feels  the  same  way  about 
it,  I'm  sure. 

Harriett. 
No,  I  don't.     Leastways,  I  don't  ask  questions. 

Walter. 

There's  only  one  thing,  Margaret.  When  you  stay  out 
late  I  worry. 

[Margaret  starts  to  speak.] 

I  can't  help  it — I'm  made  like  that.     Last  Tuesday — 

Margaret. 
Have  I  got  to  hear  about  that  again? 

Walter. 

I  am  merely  asking  you,  dear,  please  not  to  stay  out 
so  late  again.     You  were  late  at  the  office  twice  last  week 


18  AMBUSH 

— you  told  me  so,  yourself — and  that's  a  mistake.    Now, 
am  I  forgiven? 

[Margaret  offers  hand.] 

[Lightly.] 

Have  you  decided  where  you  and  your  mother  will 
spend  your  vacation? 

Margaret. 
Not  exactly. 

Harriett. 
I  won't  go  away — I  don't  enjoy  it. 

Walter. 
Really? 

Harriett. 

Margaret's  been  invited  to  spend  a  week  with  some 
friends  in  the  mountains — it  would  be  a  good  thing  for 
her  to  go. 

Margaret. 
You  see,  father,  it  would  be  cheaper  too,  that  way. 

WALTER. 

It's  kind  of  you  to  think  of  the  expense,  dear.  But  I 
could  spare  it,  if  you  really  wanted  to  go  somewhere.  [He 
stops  suddenly.] 

Margaret. 
[In  vague  alarm.]     What  are  you  looking  at? 


AMBUSH  19 

Walter. 

That  bracelet — that's  something  new,  isn't  it? 
[Margaret  is  alarmed.] 

Margaret. 

Why,    that — [She    casts   an   appealing   glance,    at    her 
mother.] 

Harriett. 
What  about  it? 

Walter. 
I've  never  seen  it  before. 

Harriett. 

It's  just  a  little  thing  Margaret  bought  the  other  day. 
It  ain't  real. 

Walter. 

Imitation? 

Harriett. 

Of  course;  how  could  she  afford  it  if  it  was  real? 

Walter. 
But  that's  so so  vulgar, 

Harriett. 
What  is? 

Walter. 
Wearing  imitation  jewelry. 


20  AMBUSH 

Margaret. 
[With  spirit.]     It's  the  only  thing  I've  got! 

Walter. 

I  detest  doing  things  like  that.  Suppose  the  people 
out  here  should  see  you  wearing  it.  They  won't  know 
it's  imitation  and  they'll  wonder  who  gave  it  to  you. 

Harriett. 

[Scornfully.]     Who  cares  what  people  say! 

t 

Walter. 

[To  Harriett.]  I'm  surprised  that  you  should  en- 
courage it.  I  wish  you  would  take  it  off,  Margaret,  and 
we'll  see  if  it  can  be  returned  next  week. 

Margaret. 
No! 

Walter. 

Please,  dear.  I'll  buy  something  real  for  you  at  your 
next  birthday. 

Harriett. 
They  won't  take  it  back. 

Walter. 

In  any  event,  I'd  rather  Margaret  didn't  wear  it.  [Holds 
out  his  hand.]    Please,  dear. 

[Margaret,   on   the   verge   of   tears,   obeys  him. 
She  takes  off  the  bracelet  and  gives  it  to  him.] 


AMBUSH  21 

Margaret. 
What  are  you  going  to  do  with  it? 

Walter. 
Does  it  come  from  New  York? 

Margaret. 

Yes, 

Walter. 

Your  mother  can  ask  them  to  take  it  back,  the  next 
time  she  goes  there. 

Harriett. 
Give  it  to  me,  then. 

Walter. 
We'll  keep  it  here  until  you  need  it. 

Margaret. 
[Cries  sharply.]      I'm  getting  sick  of  all  this! 

Harriett. 

I  don't  blame  her.  Young  people  are  young  people — 
if  she  feels  like  having  such  things,  let  her  have  'em. 

Walter. 

You  shouldn't  come  between  us  in  a  case  like  this,  Har- 
riett. Can't  you  see  my  reason?  Can't  you  see  the  vul- 
garity of  pretending  to  be  what  you  aren't? 


22  AMBUSH 

Harriett. 
Everybody  pretends. 

Walter. 

You  have  the  box  upstairs,  Harriett.  Will  you  please 
bring  it  here? 

Harriett. 

Making  a  fuss  about  a  fool  thing  like  that!  [To  Mar- 
garet.] I  told  you  not  to  wear  it  while  your  father  was 
around.    I  know  the  way  he  is.     [Exit  Harriett  upstairs.] 

Walter. 
[Gently.]     Come  here,  dear. 

Margaret. 
[Rebellious.]     What  is  it? 

Walter. 
I  don't  want  you  to  be  angry  with  me, 

Margaret. 

Then  why  don't  you  let  me  alone?     What's  the  dif- 
ference to  you  if  I  wear  a  bracelet  or  not? 

Walter. 
You've  got  to  consider  what  people  will  think. 

Margaret. 

Say  they  do  wonder  who  gave  it  to  me;  where's  the 
harm? 


AMBUSH  23 

Walter. 

Now,  dear,  I  know  you  don't  mean  that.  If  you  thought 
people  said  unkind  things  about  you,  you  would  be 
miserable. 

Margaret. 

As  long  as  the  things  they  say  aren't  true,  I  don't  care. 
[There  is  a  pause.     He  wears  a  crooked  smile 
as  he  speaks  again.] 

Walter. 
So  you  don't  love  me  any  more? 

Margaret. 

[Sweetly.]     Oh,  father,  you  say  such  foolish  things. 

Walter. 
Ah !    Then  you  do ! 

Margaret. 
Of  course  I  do! 

Walter. 

Even  though  I  annoy  you  with  little  things  and  make 
you  lose  your  temper? 

Margaret. 

Well,  I  don't  always  agree  with  you. 

Walter. 

There's  eternal  strife  between  the  old  generation  and  the 
new.  Each  represents  a  distinct  school  of  ideas,  doesn't 
it? 


24  AMBUSH 

Margaret. 
I  suppose  so. 

Walter. 
You  know,  dear,  I  never  try  to  hurt  you. 

Margaret. 
I  know  you  don't. 

Walter. 

It's  just  that  parents  can't  help  worrying  and  trying  to 
give  their  children  the  benefit  of  the  things  they  have 
learned.  I'm  so  anxious  that  you  should  have  a  happy  life. 

Margaret. 
[Laughing.]      You're  no  more  anxious  than  I  am. 

Walter. 

[Earnestly.]  And  one  of  the  most  important  things  is 
to  respect  yourself  and  to  make  other  people  respect  you. 

[There  is  no  reply.     His  tone  is  lighter  as  he  resumes.] 
You  won't  drive  very  far  with  Mr.  Kraigne,  will  you? 

Margaret. 
I  don't  suppose  so. 

[Harriett  has  entered,  carrying  a  fairly  large 
tin  box.] 

Harriett. 
What  are  you  asking  her? 


AMBUSH  25 

Walter. 

I  was  asking  her  whether  she  and  Mr.  Kraigne  were 
driving  very  far. 

Harriett. 

[As  she  deposits  the  boa;  on  the  sewing  table.]  Orange 
isn't  very  far. 

Walter. 

Orange  ? 

Harriett. 

[To  Margaret.]  Isn't  that  where  you're  going?  You 
told  me  so. 

Margaret. 

[To  Walter.]  Alan  has  a  girl  cousin  living  there, 
and  we  thought  of  visiting  her. 

Walter. 

[Pleased.]  That's  a  very  good  idea.  [Unlocks  box — 
key  in  vest  pocket.]  You  won't  be  late,  dear?  [To  Mar- 
garet.] Look  dear,  do  you  know  what  these  are?  [He 
shows  her  some  bonds.]  These  are  bonds  worth  ten  thou- 
sand dollars  that  I  bought  with  the  money  your  uncle  left 
me.     They're  being  kept  for  you.  • 

Margaret. 
You've  told  me  that  before. 

Walter. 
I  know,  but  I  like  to  remind  you  why  it  is  I  don't  al- 


26  AMBUSH 

ways  buy  you  the  things  you'd  like.     You'll  be  glad  some 
day  that  they  were  kept  for  you. 

[Seymour  Jennison  and  Mrs.  Jennison  are 
heard  talking  off.] 

Harriett. 

Here  are  the  Jennisons. 

[Seymour  is  the  same  age  as  Walter,  an  aggres- 
sive, opinionated,  loud-talking  man  of  the 
salesman  type.  His  wife,  short  and  stout,  is 
far  more  wholesome,  but  has  been  trained  to 
"back  up"  her  husband  in  all  he  says  and  does. 
His  method  is  to  appeal  to  her  for  corrobora- 
tion whenever  he  finds  it  expedient  and  she 
never  fails  him.  Although  he  does  not  know 
it,  some  of  his  bizarre  methods  cause  her  real 
agony.] 

Seymour. 

I  said  to  him:  "What  happened  to  other  oil  companies 
has  nothing  to  do  with  it.  This  oil  company  must  be 
judged  on  its  merits."  [His  transitions  are  abrupt,  for 
it  is  his  way  to  appear  enthusiastic  about  each  new  devel- 
opment. Now,  as  he  greets  Harriett,  one  would  think 
she  was  the  only  thing  in  the  world  that  mattered  to  him.] 
Harriett!     How  are  you? 

Harriett. 
Good  evening,  Seymour. 

Seymour. 

And  our  little  Margie !     Don't  need  to  ask  how  you  are ! 

[The  women,  meanwhile,  greet  one  another.] 
Hello,  Walter. 


Hello,  Seymour. 


AMBUSH  27 

Walter. 

Seymour. 


I  was  just  telling  Julia  about  Babbington.  I  told  you 
I  was  going  to  see  him  today,  didn't  I?  He's  interested 
all  right,  read  all  the  company's  literature  and  asked  me 
question  after  question.  I  was  ready  for  him,  though, 
I'm  to  see  him  again  tonight,  but  I  don't  want  to  appear 
in  a  hurry.  He's  only  a  few  blocks  away,  but  we'll 
drive  over  in  the  car.     That'll  make  an  impression. 

[Challengingly  to  Walter.] 

What? 

Walter. 
Sure  to! 

Seymour. 
You  bet! 
[To  Harriett.]     Seen  the  car  yet? 

Harriett. 


Not  yet. 


Seymour. 


[To  Margaret.]      You'll  appreciate  it,  Margie!     It's 

a   beauty — ask   the   missis.  Six    cylinders — chauffeur   in 

livery.     I  insist  on  livery.  I  say  that  if  a  man's  hired 

by  me,   I   have   a   right  to  say   what   clothes  he   should 

wear.  While  he's  on  the  car,  of  course.  When  he's 
not,  he's  got  to  take  'em  off.  [Offers  cigar  to  Walter.] 
Cigar? 


28  AMBUSH 


W 


ALTER 


No,  thanks. 


Seymour. 


[Chews  off  the  end  of  cigar.  He  goes  on  talking.] 
Some  people  call  it  "luck"  the  way  I  got  into  this  thing. 
But  it  ain't  luck — it's  grasping  an  opportunity.  I  saw 
from  the  prospectus  that  the  property  they  owned  was 
one  o'  the  most  valuable  oil-producing  properties  in  the 
country.  Remember,  Julia,  how  I  came  home  and  said 
so? 

[Mrs.  Jennison  nods.] 

And  I  knew  that,  with  intelligent  direction,  the  output 
could  be  increased  and  increased  and  increased  until — 
It's  tremendous — tremendous! — in  heaven's  name,  Wal- 
ter Nichols,  why  don't  you  take  a  chance? 

Walter. 
[Slowly,   ill   at    ease.]      I'm   a    conservative,    Seymour. 

Seymour. 
Pah! 

Walter. 

Besides,  what  have  I  got  to  take  chances  with?  Even 
if  I  wanted  to,  I  mean. 

Seymour. 

Enough  for  a  starter.  What  did  /  have?  Only  Julia's 
money  and  there  wasn't  much  of  that.  But  Julia  had 
courage.  [In  his  enthusiasm  he  leans  over  and  slaps  his 
wife's  back.  She  winces,  but  says  nothing.]  Courage! 
That's  what  is  needed  in  modern  life.     Look  at  the  sue- 


AMBUSH  29 

cessful  men  we  know.  Look  at  your  boss,  L.  A.  Preston. 
Where  would  he  be  if  he  didn't  have  courage?  Or  the 
fellow  Margaret  works  for — what's  his  name?  Good 
heavens,  you're  not  going  to  spend  your  whole  life  like 
this,  are  you? 

Walter. 
What's  the  matter  with  this? 

Seymour. 
What's  the  matter  with  it  ?    Why,  its  awful. 

Walter. 

[Warmly.]     It's  been  good  enough  for  you  these  last 
fifteen  years. 

Seymour. 

[Sings.] 
"It  may  be  for  years 
But  it  won't  be  forever." 
[Laughs.] 

[Margaret  exits  to  porch.] 
No,  sir!  That's  the  point.  J  wasn't  satisfied;  I  said: 
"Here's  a  chance — the  chance  of  my  lifetime,  perhaps. 
Opportunity  comes  once  to  every  man,  and  my  judgment 
tells  me  Magnificus  Oil  can't  go  wrong."  So  what  did 
I  do?    I  took  Julia's  money  and  invested  it! 

[Walter   is   silent.      Seymour   leans  across   the 
table,  shoving  his  face  close  to  Walter's.] 
What  about  Harriett?     What  about  Margie? 

Walter. 
[Very  uneasy.]      What   about  them? 


30  AMBUSH 

Seymour. 

Yes,  what  about  them?  Don't  you  owe  it  to  them  to 
have   some   ambition? 

[Margaret    enters    house,    switches    on    porch 
lamp.] 

Walter. 

It  isn't  fair  of  you,  Seymour,  to  assume  that  I  have 
no  ambition.  I  may  have  ambitions  as  well  as  you,  but 
not  the  same  kind. 

Seymour. 

Then  the  sooner  you  get  the  same  kind  the  better. 
Ask  Margaret  whether  she'd  like  to  have  money  or  not. 
How  about  it,  Margie? 

Walter. 

[Before  Margaret  can  answer.]  Of  course  Margaret 
would  like  us  to  have  money — I'd  like  it,  too.  But  what 
you  advise  is  speculation,  and  speculation — [Margaret 
exit  upstairs.] 

Seymour. 

Speculation!      It's    no  more    speculation    than    buying 

United    States    Treasury  Certificates   is    speculation.      It 

means    enormous    profits  without    risk,    that's    what    it 
means. 

[Walter's  manner  changes.] 
Walter. 
I    wish   you'd   be    careful   what   you    say   in    front    of 


AMBUSH  31 

Margaret.     It's  natural  for  a  girl  like  her  to  want  nice 
things,  and  it  only  makes  her  resentful. 

Seymour. 
She'd  be  resentful,  anyhow. 

Walter. 

Besides,  the  things  you  say  put  me  in  such  a  bad 
light. 

Seymour. 

Nonsense.  You're  the  best  feller  in  the  world — every- 
body knows  that.  Why  do  you  suppose  I  talk  the  way 
I  do?     Because  I  like  you  so  much! 

Walter. 
Oh,  I  know  you  mean  it  well — 

Seymour. 

The  thing's  on  such  a  basis  now  that  we  don't  need  the 
few  dollars  you  could  put  into  it.  But  we're  friends,  and 
I  like  to  help  a  friend  when  I  get  the  chance  to  do  it.  I 
wasn't  able  to,  before.  [Laughs.]  When  I  gave  up  my 
job  at  Walbeck's,  the  boss  told  me  I  was  making  a  mistake. 
Looks  like  it,  don't  it?  Today  I  dropped  in  to  see  him. 
There  he  was  trying  to  sell  an  engagement  ring  to  some 
people,  and  I  couldn't  help  laughing  at  the  whole  thing. 
The  glass  in  his  eye,  his  whole  face  screwed  up,  and  he 
says:  "It's  a  very  fine  stone."  [Laughs  again.]  Six  months 
ago  I  was  handing  out  the  same  bunk!  When  he  saw  me, 
the  old  feller  nearly  had  a  fit.  [Thows  bach  his  head,  fairly 
bellowing  with  glee.  Presently  the  laughter  subsides.] 
After  the  people  left,  I  told  him  how  things  had  gone  with 


32  AMBUSH 

me,  and  he  looked  so  unhappy  I  pitied  him.  [Makes  one  of 
his  abrupt  transitions.]  This  house  is  in  pretty  good  condi- 
tion, ain't  it? 

Walter. 
[Surprised.]     I  think  so,  why? 

Seymour. 
[Flicking  ashes  from  his  cigar.]      I  may  buy  it. 

Walter. 

What? 

Seymour. 

I've  had  information  that  property  out  here  is  likely  to 
go  up,  and  I'm  going  to  ask  Babbington  to  put  a  price  on 
mine  and  this  and  the  two  in  between. 

Harriett. 
Really? 

Walter. 

[Pleased.]  I'm  glad  to  hear  that,  Seymour.  That  means 
we'll  be  neighbors  for  a  long  time  to  come. 

Seymour. 

[Quickly.]  No,  it  don't.  I  don't  have  to  go  on  living 
in  a  house  just  because  I  own  it. 

Walter. 

But  you  always  liked  it  here — you've  lived  here  a  long 
time,  and  I  remember  your  telling  me — 


AMBUSH  33 

Seymour. 

Things  have  changed.  Oh,  I  don't  mean  the  money  alone. 
As  my  business  expands,  my  interests'll  grow  too,  and  it'll 
be  necessary  for  me  to  live  in  New  York.  Only  today  a 
woman  came  to  me  with  a  new  proposition — I'm  looking 
into  it.  Julia's  been  looking  at  apartments  across  the  river 
already. 

Mrs.   Jennison. 
I  haven't  found  anything  yet. 
[Bell  rings.] 

Seymour. 

You  will.     Ah,  here's  Frank. 

[A  Chauffeur  in  full  livery  enters,  as  Walter 
opens  the  door.  All  watch  him  approach,  awe- 
struck.'] 

Frank. 

The  car  is  up  the  street,  sir.  I  thought  it  best  not  to 
drive  down  'cause  the  street's  all  torn  up. 

Seymour. 

It's  a  wonder  they  wouldn't  keep  the  streets  around  here 
in  decent  condition.  [Pointing  to  Frank,  he  says  to 
Walter.]  How  do  you  like  the  clothes?  [Frank  grins; 
Walter  nods  approvingly.]  Some  class,  eh?  [To  Frank.] 
Everything  all  right? 

Frank. 

[Amused  at  his  employer.]     Yes,  sir. 


34  AMBUSH 

Seymour. 
The er,  carburetor? 

Frank. 

Adjusted  it  this  afternoon. 

Seymour. 
How  is  the  compression? 

Frank. 

There's  never  been  nothing  the  matter  with  the  com- 
pression. 

Seymour. 

Did  you  drain  the  oil  off  the  motor? 

Frank. 
[Laughing.]      No,  sir. 

Seymour. 
Why  not? 

Frank. 

'Cause,  if  I  did,  the  car  wouldn't  run. 

Seymour. 

[Discomfited.]      Wouldn't,  huh?     That's  all  you  know 
about  it!     [To  Harriett.]   Where  are  you  going  tomorrow? 

Harriett. 
Tomorrow?     It's  Sunday. 


AMBUSH  35 

Seymour. 

Walter  don't  work  on  Sundays,   does  he?       [Laughs.] 
Why  don't  you  two  come  for  a  ride  with  us? 

Frank. 

Shall  I  wait,  sir? 

Seymour. 

Certainly  you'll  wait. 

[A  movement  by  Frank  shows  he  has  an  impulse 
to  reply;  however,  he  changes  his  mind.  Exit 
Frank.] 

Seymour. 

"Shall  I  wait,  sir?"  Does  he  think  I  told  him  to  come 
here  for  fun?    I'll  speak  to  him  about  that. 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

Oh,  don't  fuss  with  him  again,  Seymour ! 

Seymour. 

The  way  she  takes  that  man's  part!  [To  Mrs.  Jenni- 
son.] That  ain't  the  way  to  treat  servants — make  'em 
understand  exactly  what  you  want  and  they'll  respect  you 
for  it.  [To  Harriett,  with  a  laugh.]  Wait  till  Babbing- 
ton  sees  me  drive  up  in  a  car.  That's  the  sort  o'  thing 
makes  an  impression.     How  about  tomorrow? 

Harriett. 
I'd  like  to  go.     I  don't  get  many  chances. 


36  AMBUSH 

Walter. 
It's  very  kind  of  you,  Seymour— 


Seymour. 

Wait  till  he  sees  the  car.     That's  an  argument  he  can't 
answer. 

[Alan  Kraigne  enters  the  doorway.  Alan  is  a 
good  looking,  well  dressed  youth  of  24,  breezy 
and  likeable,  with  easy  manners  and  a  cheerful 
disposition.] 

Alan. 

[Raising    his    cap.]       Good    evening,    er is    Miss 

Nichols  at  home? 

Walter. 
[Rising.]     Mr.  Kraigne? 

Alan. 

Yes. 

Walter. 
I'm  Margaret's  father.     How  do  you  do? 

Alan. 

How  do  you  do? 

[They  shake  hands.] 

Walter. 
Mr.  Kraigne — Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jennison  and  Mrs.  Nichols. 


AMBUSH  37 

Alan. 

How  do  you  do? 

Harriett. 
[Who  has  risen.]     How  do  you  do?     I'll  call  Margaret. 

Alan. 

Thank  you. 

Seymour. 
[Who  has  been  sizing  him  up.]     Howard  Kraigne's  son? 

Alan. 

Yes,  do  you  know  the  dad? 

Harriett. 

Margaret ! 

Seymour. 

Everybody  knows  him  by  reputation.  The  products  of 
your  father's  factory  are  used  in  every  home.  You  live 
in  Morristown,  don't  you? 

Alan. 

The  factory's  in  Morristown,  we  live  just  outside. 

Harriett. 
[Going  up  a  few  steps.]     Margaret! 

Seymour. 

Just  a  pleasant  drive,  here  to  Morristown.  [To 
Walter.]     Maybe  we'll  automobile  that  way  tomorrow. 


38  AMBUSH 

Harriett. 
Margaret's  coming. 

Alan. 

Thanks. 

Seymour. 

My  chauffeur's  very  good  at  finding  roads.  Well,  come 
along,  Julia.  We  may  drop  in  again  on  our  way  back 
from  Babbington's — it  won't  take  me  long  to  convince  him. 
[To  Alan,  as  he  and  Mrs.  Jennison  prepare  to  leave.] 
Ever  hear  of  Magnificus  Oil? 

Alan. 

I  don't  believe  so. 

.  Seymour. 

You  will.  Come,  Julia.  Good-bye,  Walter.  Good-bye, 
Harriett. 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

Good-bye;  good-bye,  Mr.  Kraigne — glad  to  have  met 
you. 

[Exeunt    Seymour    and    Mrs.    Jennison,    the 
former  talking  volubly,  at  left.] 

Seymour. 

[Off  stage.]  I  thought  I  knew  him.  Nice  fellow;  we'll 
drive  out  that  way  tomorrow. 

Walter. 
I've  seen  you  before,  Mr.  Kraigne. 


AMBUSH  39 

Alan. 

Really ;    where  ? 

Walter. 

I  work  at  Preston's;  I've  seen  you  in  Mr.  Preston's 
office. 

Alan. 

I've  been  there  on  business.  [Laughs.]  They  trust 
me  to  carry  messages.     I  don't  recall 

Walter. 

You  wouldn't  be  likely  to  remember  me.  [Playing  with 
Margaret's  gloves.]  I'm  one  of  the  clerks.  But  I 
know  your  father — he  usually  stops  and  chats  with  me 
when  he's  in  the  office.     I've  been  there  seventeen  years. 

[Enter  Margaret,  wearing  a  hat.] 

Margaret. 
Good  evening,  Alan. 

Alan. 

[Briskly.]  Hello.  [To  Walter,  politely.]  I  beg 
your  pardon,  what  were  you  saying? 

Walter. 
It  wasn't  anything  important. 

Margaret. 

Mother,  where  are  my  gloves? 


40  AMBUSH 

Harriett. 
Your  father 

Margaret. 

[Taking  them.] 
Good  night,  Mother. 

Alan. 

Good  night,  Mrs.  Nichols. 

Harriett. 
Good  night. 

[Exeunt  Alan  and  Margaret.  They  laugh 
pleasurable  as  they  go.  Walter  follows  as 
far  as  the  door,  watching  them  off.] 

Harriett. 
Don't  stand  there  like  that — think  how  it  looks. 

Walter. 
[Turning  slowly.]      It  seems  so  strange. 

Harriett. 
What  does? 

Walter. 
Howard  Kraigne's  son  calling  on  our  daughter. 

Harriett. 
She's  lucky  to  know  such  a  nice  man. 


AMBUSH  41 


Walter. 

[Doubtfully.]      I   suppose   so.      You   can't   help   being 
afraid,  though.    Of  course,  I  know  she's  a  good  girl 


Harriett. 

[Interrupting.]  Certainly  she's  good!  Margaret  never 
had  a  wrong  idea  in  her  head. 

Walter. 

[With  a  gentle  smile.]  You  think  me  a  pretty  queer 
fish,  don't  you,  Harriett? 

Harriett. 

When  you've  been  living  with  a  person  for  twenty-five 
years,  you  don't  think  much  about  him  one  way  or  the 
other. 

Walter. 

[Turns  on  small  lamp  on  mantel.]  But  there  are  times 
when  you're  puzzled  about  me?  When  you  can't  under- 
stand my  reason  for  feeling  as  I  do  about  things  ? 

Harriett. 
You're  awfully  old-fashioned. 

Walter. 

I  thought  you  felt  something  of  that  sort.  [Thought- 
fully.] When  I  was  a  young  fellow,  I  used  to  flatter  my- 
self that  I  had  ideals. 


42  AMBUSH 

Harriett. 
[Bored.]     We  all  have  queer  ideas  when  we're  young. 

Walter. 

[Laughs.]  You're  not  very  complimentary [Seri- 
ously.] As  we  grow  older,  we  gradually  compromise 
with  our  ideals. 

Harriett. 
[Who  has  not  heard.]     What? 

Walter. 

The  trouble  with  me  is  that  I  can't  shake  off  the  ideas 
I  used  to  have. 

Harriett. 
That's  what  I  said — you're  old-fashioned. 

Walter. 

I  don't  think  it's  that.  It  isn't  as  though  I  took  my 
ideas  from  my  parents,  and  I'm  certainly  not  narrow  in 
my  religious  beliefs.  What  I  hate  is  coarseness,  anything 
that  cheapens  one.  When  I  saw  that  bracelet  on  Margaret 
tonight,  do  you  know  the  first  thought  that  flashed  through 
my  mind? 

Harriett. 
To  make  her  take  it  off,  I  suppose. 

Walter. 

I'm  ashamed  of  it,  but  for  just  a  second  I  wondered 
if  some  man  had  given  it  to  her. 


AMBUSH  43 

Harriett. 

Well,  none   did;   Margaret   talked   to  me   about  it   the 

other  day But  I  think  it's  a  shame  your  not  letting 

her  wear  it. 

Walter. 

Why? 

Harriett. 

You're  pushing  the  girl  too  far.  She's  young  and  she's 
pretty,  if  I  do  say  it,  and  girls  nowadays  believe  in  making 
the  most  of  their  looks.  It's  natural  for  her  to  feel  out 
of  place  if  she's  the  only  girl  in  a  crowd  who  hasn't  got 
nice  things. 

Walter. 

That's  it — that's  the  danger  of  her  associating  with 
people  who  can  afford  the  things  she  can't.  [Sighs.]  I 
guess  I'm  an  old  fool.  If  it  gives  her  pleasure,  let  her  wear 
it.     I'll  give  it  back  to  her  in  the  morning. 

Harriett. 
That's  more  sensible. 

Walter. 

I'm  going  to  turn  over  a  new  leaf.  I'm  going  to  give 
up  being  what  you  call  old-fashioned — I  call  it  "Com- 
promising with  one's  principles."  I've  noticed  that  your 
ways  get  along  a  lot  better  with  Margaret  than  mine  do, 
so  I'm  going  to  pattern  myself  after  you.  Way  down  in 
your  heart  you  have  the  same  feelings  about  things  that 
I  have — Margaret's  welfare  means  as  much  to  you  as  to  me. 


**  AMBUSH 


Harriett. 


I'm  glad  you  realize  it.      [A  pause.]      What  have  you 
decided  about  Seymour's  investment? 


Walter. 


There's  nothing  to  decide.     I  don't  believe  in  specula- 
tion, and  besides  we  have  nothing  to  speculate  with. 

Harriett. 
There's  the  ten  thousand. 

Walter. 
You  wouldn't  have  me  use  that! 

Harriett. 
Why  not? 

Walter. 

It's  to  be  Margaret's  when  she  marries.     We  decided 
that  long  ago. 

Harriett. 

Using  it  Seymour's   way   would  be  helping  Margaret, 
wouldn't  it? 

[Walter  shakes  his  head.] 

I  thought  you  said  her  welfare  meant  as  much  to  me 
as  to  you. 

Walter. 
This  is  business,  Harriett,  you  don't  understand. 


AMBUSH  45 

Harriett. 

[Scornfully.]  Business!  Do  you  know  so  much  about 
business?  If  you  did,  we  wouldn't  be  skimping  the  way 
we  are.    Every  word  Seymour  said  was  true. 

Walter. 
[Surprised.]     You  mean  his  arguments  impressed  you? 

Harriett. 

Any  argument  that  takes  me  away  from  the  kitchen 
stove  impresses  me.  And  if  you'd  watched  Margaret, 
you'd  have  seen  that  his  arguments  impressed  her.  Do 
you  suppose  I  enjoy  doing  my  own  housework  all  my  life? 
And  do  you  suppose  it's  a  pleasure  for  Margaret  to  take 
the  tube  to  New  York  every  morning,  to  spend  the  day  in 
an  office,  and  then  take  the  tube  back  again  in  the  evening? 
Here's  the  Jennisons  come  back. 

[The   Jennisons   have   appeared.      Seymour   is 
quite  hilarious.] 

Seymour. 

[Calling  through  the  window.]  I've  done  it!  I've  got 
Babbington  down  for  twenty-five  thousand!  No  argument 
— nothing.  He  was  ready  before  I  said  a  word.  [Harriett 
has  opened  the  door  and  they  enter.]  Monday  I  go  with 
him  to  the  company's  office — you  heard  him,  Julia?  [Mrs. 
Jennison  is  talking  to  Harriet,  and  Seymour  is  irritated.] 
Didn't  you  hear  him,  Julia? 

Mrs.   Jennison. 
Of  course,  Seymour. 


46  AMBUSH 

Seymour. 

After  that's  settled  we're  going  to  talk  about  buying 
these  houses. 

Walter. 

[Laughs.]  Can't  raise  my  rent  just  yet,  old  friend! 
The  lease  has  two  more  years  to  run. 

Seymour. 

[Ignoring  the  pleasantry,  to  Mrs.  Jennison.]  Using 
the  car  Monday? 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

No no,  Seymour. 

Seymour. 

I'll  take  Babbington  to  New  York  in  it — wonderful  what 
an  impression  a  car  makes!  It's  just  wonderful  the  way 
things  are  coming! 

Walter. 
[Soberly.]     You're  a  very  lucky  man,  Seymour. 

Seymour. 

There's  no  such  thing  as  "luck."  Courage — foresight — 
that's  what  it  is! 

Walter. 

I  didn't  mean  to  underrate  you. 

Seymour. 

The  trouble  with  a  man  like  you  is  that  you're  too  thin- 
skinned.    Julia's  like  that  too.     [To  Harriett.]     You  and 


AMBUSH  47 

I  are  different — we'll  take  a  chance !  The  way  Babbington 
received  me!  None  o'  that  old  attitude  the  way  he  used 
to  when  I  came  with  the  rent.  It  wasn't  "Hello,  Jenni- 
son." This  time  it  was  "Good  evening,  Mr.  Jennison." 
Good  news  travels  fast.     Ask  Julia. 

Mrs.   Jennison. 
He  was  very  polite. 

Seymour. 

You  bet!  I  tell  you,  Walter,  nothing  succeeds  like 
success.  [Wipes  his  neck  with  his  handkerchief.]  You 
know,  it  seems  to  me  this  neighborhood  is  warmer  than  it 
used  to  be.     Climate's  changing  or  something. 

Walter. 
Maybe  you'd  like  something  cool  to  drink.     Harriett! 

Seymour. 
[To  Harriett.]     Got  any  lemons  in  the  house? 

Harriett. 
Yes. 

Mrs.   Jennison. 
Don't  trouble  Harriett  like  that. 

Harriett. 
[Rising.]     It's  no  trouble. 

I!      ..  : 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

I'll  help  you. 


48  AMBUSH 

Seymour. 

[To  Harriett.]  We'll  shame  him  into  it,  Harriett. 
We  won't  let  up  on  him. 

Harriett. 

[Sullenly  to  Mrs.  Jennison.]      Come  on  in. 

[Mrs.    Jennison    goes    first.      Exeunt    the    two 
women  into  the  kitchen.] 

Walter. 

I  got  Harriett  out  of  the  room  on  purpose,  Seymour.  I 
want  to  talk  to  you  alone. 

Seymour. 

[Settling  back,  puffing  hard.]     Sure. 

Walter. 

[&'£«.]  I  wish  you  wouldn't  talk  so  much  about  your 
oil  stock  while  Harriett  and  Margaret  are  around — 
especially  Margaret. 

Seymour. 

You  don't  have  to  tell  me  why.  They  want  you  to  buy 
some  of  it.  Women  have  a  good  instinct  about  such  things 
— I  always  said  so. 

Walter. 

At  any  rate,  it  makes  it  more  difficult  for  me. 

Seymour. 
[Leaning  forward.]       I'm   not   sure  that-  ain't   a   good 


AMBUSH  49 

thing.     If   they   make   things   uncomfortable   enough,   you 
might  do  it.      [Walter  shakes  his  head.]     Why  not? 

Walter. 

Wait — I'll  show  you  something. 

[Walter  takes  the  box  from  the  desk.] 

Seymour. 

What's  that? 

Walter. 

[Opening  the  box.]  In  this  I  keep  the  only  treasure  I 
possess.  My  brother  Richard  left  me  ten  thousand  dollars 
in  his  will  and  I  converted  it  into  United  States  Treasury 
notes. 

Seymour. 
[Scornfully.]     Four-and-a-half  per  cent! 

Walter. 

Richard  died  five  years  ago  and  on  my  possessing  it, 
Harriett  and  I  agreed  that  it  should  go  to  Margaret  when 
she  married. 

Seymour. 

All  right — nobody's  saying  that  you  should  spend  it. 
But  why  not  use  the  principal  and  spend  the  profit?  Or 
give  her  twenty  thousand  instead  of  ten?  You  can  make 
that  much  in  six  months. 

Walter. 
This  is  good  enough  for  me,  Seymour. 


50  AMBUSH 

Seymour. 
What's  the  rest,  jewelry? 

Walter. 
[Embarrassed.]     Some  cheap  thing  of  Margaret's. 


Seymour. 

Damned  if  I  understand  you,  Walter.  And  I'm  afraid 
you  don't  understand  your  family.  [Walter  looks  up 
sharply.]  Women  are  funny  about  some  things — they 
don't  like  a  man  to  be  too  cautious.  And  nowadays — 
people  ain't  so  plain  and  simple  as  you'd  have  'em.  Here, 
let  me  ask  you  something.  Why  isn't  Margaret  wearing 
this  bracelet? 

Walter. 

Oh,  I  had  some  idea  that  she  oughtn't.  But  I  just  told 
Harriett 

Seymour. 

I  knew  it!  She  wants  to  wear  it,  don't  she?  [Before 
Walter  can  reply.]  'Course  she  does.  Going  out  with  a  fel- 
ler like  Kraigne  she  wants  to  look  as  well  as  she  can.  And 
you  won't  let  her!  Do  you  suppose  she  understands  your 
reasons?  I  don't  know  what  they  are  myself.  Or,  say 
she  does.  Does  she  think  they're  right.  [Looks  at 
bracelet.] 

Walter. 

[With  an  embarrassed  laugh.]  Don't  look  at  it,  Sey- 
mour, it's  too  ridiculous. 


AMBUSH  51 

Seymour. 

[Examining    it    under    the    light.]      What's    ridiculous 
about  it? 

Walter. 

Of  course  you  know  what  it's  worth. 

Seymour. 

I  can't  guarantee  to  come  nearer  than  two  or  three 
hundred,  but  the  stones  are  very  fine  quality. 

Walter. 
[Slowly — turning  pale.]     Very — fine — quality? 

Seymour. 

The  stones.  And  the  setting  is  a  peach.  It's  a  new 
piece,  isn't  it? 

Walter. 

You're  sure  it's  very  good? 

Seymour. 

Of  course — I  know  jewelry.  But  you  must  know  what 
it's  worth  if  you  bought  it.  [Returns  the  bracelet  to 
Walter.] 

Walter. 

[Quickly.]  Of  course.  [Replaces  the  bracelet,  mechanic- 
ally locking  the  box.]      Seymour! 

S  E  YMO  UR. 

What? 


52  AMBUSH 

Walter. 

Will  you  do  me  a  favor?  Don't  mention  the  bracelet 
to  Harriett  or  Margaret.  You  see,  it  only  reminds  them 
and  causes  trouble. 

Seymour. 
[Dryly.]     It  ought  to. 

Walter. 

You  won't  mention  it  ? 

[Enter  Harriett  with  lemonade  and  glasses  on 
a  tray.    Mrs.  Jennison  precedes  her.] 

Harriett. 
Let's  go  out  on  the  porch — it's  cooler. 
[Exeunt  the  women  outside.] 

Seymour. 
You  bet !     [Starts  for  door.] 

Walter. 
Seymour ! 

Seymour. 
Don't  be  afraid!     I  won't  mention  it, 

[Exit  Seymour.    Walter  stands  at  the  table.] 

CURTAIN 


AMBUSH 
Act  II 


53 


ACT  II. 

SCENE:     Same  as  Act  7. 

DISCOVERED :  Walter  in  the  armchair,  trying  to 
read  a  New  York  Sunday  paper.  Some  sheets  of  it  are 
on  the  floor,  near  his  feet.  Walter's  face  is  gaunt,  like 
the  face  of  one  who  has  not  slept  well,  and  his  movements 
are  nervous.  He  tries  to  read  and  finds  it  difficult.  A 
sound  attracts  him,  and  he  gets  up  to  look  out  of  the 
window.  Harriett  enters  from  the  kitchen  and  stands  in 
the  doorway. 

Harriett. 
What  are  you  doing? 

Walter. 
Somebody  passed  the  house.     I  got  up  to  look. 

Harriett. 
Won't  you  have  anything  now? 

Walter. 

[Half -turning,  very  tired.]     No,  thanks. 

Harriett. 

You'd  better  take  something. 

Walter. 

I've  had  coffee;  I  don't  want  anything  else.  Where 
can  she  be? 

55 


56  AMBUSH 

Harriett. 
Oh,  Margaret's  all  right. 

Walter. 

[Coming  down.]  She  left  before  eight  last  night,  and 
now  it's  [Glances  at  the  clock]  nearly  eleven.  She  hasn't 
telephoned. 

Harriett. 

Maybe  she  tried  to  and  couldn't  get  the  house.  You 
know  how  bad  the  service  is  on  these  party  lines.  [Refers 
to  the  papers.]  I  wish  you  wouldn't  mess  up  the  room 
like  this. 

Walter. 

[As  he  picks  them  up.]     I'm  sorry I'm  nervous. 

You're  sure  you  can't  remember  the  name  of  Mr.  Kraigne's 


cousin 


Harriett. 
No,  I  can't.    They  live  somewhere  in  Orange. 

Walter. 
I've  a  good  mind  to  phone  his  house. 

Harriett. 
[Stops.]     What's  the  good  of  that? 

Walter. 

Just  to  ask  whether  he's  home.     There  may  have  been 
an  accident. 


AMBUSH  57 

Harriett. 

Now,  don't  act  like  a  fool.  If  you  did  that,  it  would 
look  as  if  you  thought  he  and  Margaret 

Walter. 

Don't  say  it!  They  might  tell  us  his  cousin's  number 
and  we  could  phone  there.  What  makes  you  think  they 
went  there  last  night  ? 

Harriett. 

Margaret's  been  talking  about  her,  that's  all.  But  don't 
phone,  'cause  any  phoning  would  look  bad. 

Walter. 
I  won't. 

Harriett. 
When  she  comes  I  suppose  you'll  lose  your  temper? 

Walter. 
No. 

Harriett. 

Well,  don't.  Margaret's  angry  yet  about  the  bracelet — 
I  know  the  way  she  takes  things — and  there's  no  use  in 
you  two  quarrelling. 

Walter. 

[Trying  to  speak  lightly.]  How  long  ago  did  Margaret 
buy  the  bracelet? 


58  AMBUSH 

Harriett. 

[Without  looking  at  him.]     Two  or  three  days  ago. 
Thursday,  I  think. 

Walter. 
You  weren't  with  her  when  she  bought  it? 

Harriett. 
You  know  I  wasn't  in  New  York  last  week. 

Walter, 
What  was  the  first  intimation  you  had  of  it? 

Harriett. 
What's  the  sense  of  all  this  fuss? 

Walter. 
I  was  just  wondering.     Can  you  remember? 

Harriett. 

[Impatiently.]  Yes,  I  remember  very  well — one  day — 
Tuesday  or  Wednesday — she  told  me  she'd  seen  an  imita- 
tion bracelet  she'd  like  to  have,  and  that  she'd  saved 
enough  money  to  buy  it.  I  haven't  got  the  same  ideas 
about  things  that  you  have,  and  I  know  how  young  girls 
feel  about  having  pretty  things,  so  I  told  her  to  go  ahead. 
On  Thursday  she  showed  it  to  me,  and  that's  all  there 
is  to  it. 

[Walter  goes  to  her.      With  a  faint  smile,  he 
kisses  her  cheek.] 

What's  that  for? 


AMBUSH  59 

Walter. 
You're  a  good  woman,  Harriett. 

Harriett. 

It's  a  funny  time  to  tell  me,  now  I'm  forty-two  years 
old.  [Looks  at  him.]  Why  don't  you  put  on  your  old 
clothes,  if  you're  going  automobiling  ?  The  Jennisons  '11 
be  here  soon. 

Walter. 

I  couldn't  go,  with  Margaret  away.  [In  some  surprise.] 
Could  you? 

Harriett. 

I  wouldn't  be  comfortable.  But  you  might  as  well  get 
ready,  so  when  she  does  come 

Walter. 

I  won't  go,  anyhow.  You  know  how  badly  I  slept — 
I  lay  awake  even  longer  than  you  think.  And  when 
I  got  up  at  three  o'clock  and  found  Margaret  wasn't 
home 

Harrie  tt. 

That's  when  you  woke  me. 

Walter. 

You  fell  asleep  again,  but  I  didn't  close  an  eye.  As 
soon  as  Margaret  gets  home  I'll  go  up  and  lie  down. 

Harriett. 
You  won't  scold  her?     Give  me  your  word! 


60  AMBUSH 

Walter. 

I  promise  I  won't  scold  her.     [A  moment's  pause.]     Har- 
riett, do  you  think  it's  a  good  thing 

Harriett. 
[Interrupts.]     Talk  louder.     I  can't  hear  you. 

Walter. 

Do  you  think  her  going  with  young  Mr.  Kraigne  is  a 
good  thing? 

Harriett. 
[Who  has  taken  a  step  nearer.]     Why  not? 

Walter. 

That's  so — you  don't  share  my  fears  about   "new  ideas," 
do  you? 

Harriett. 

I  think,  if  Margaret's  to  marry  well,  she's  got  to  get 
out  and  meet  people. 

Walter. 
We  know  a  lot  of  nice  people,  Harriett. 

Harriett. 
They're  not  the  kind  Margaret  cares  for. 

Walter. 
But  why  not? 


AMBUSH  61 

Harriett. 
She  wouldn't  be  content  to  live  the  kind  of  life  we  do. 

Walter. 

You  spoke  just  now  of  Margaret  marrying.     Do   you 
suppose  men  like  Mr.  Kraigne  would  wish  to  marry  her? 

Harriett. 
Things  like  that  have  happened  before. 

Walter. 
I I'm  afraid  that  won't  happen. 

Harriett. 
You  always  expect  the  worst. 

Walter. 

And  meanwhile  her  head  gets  filled  with  ideas  that  are 
too  big  for  her. 

Harriett. 

Well,  if  she  gets  big  ideas,  she'll  be  the  only  one  in  the 
family  that  has  'em. 

Walter. 
Has  she  spoken  to  you  about  Mr.  Kraigne? 

Harriett. 
How  do  you  mean,  "spoken"? 


62  AMBUSH 

Walter. 

Well,  told  you  how  they  spend  their  time. 

Harriett. 
I  don't  ask  questions  the  way  you  do. 

Walter. 

She  has  never  hinted  that  he  wishes  to  marry  her? 

Harriett. 

There's  one  thing  sure!  Nobody'll  want  to  marry  her 
if  you  spoil  her  disposition  every  time  she  goes  out.  [An 
autohorn  is  heard;  she  looks  out  of  the  window.] 
There  are  the  Jennison's,  coming  for  us.  Now,  brace  up 
and  don't  let  'em  see  you're  worried.  [Walter  rises, 
trying  to  master  his  unhappiness,  as  the  Jennisons  ascend.] 
I  wish  you'd  come  along. 

Walter. 

I  couldn't. 

[He  opens  the  door  before  the  bell  is  rung,  ad- 
mitting the  Jennisons.  Mrs.  Jennison  wears 
an  old  coat  and  a  veil,  but  Seymour's  clothes 
are  the  last  word  in  motor  apparel.] 

Seymour. 

Everybody  ready? 

Harriett. 
Walter's  not  going. 


AMBUSH  63 

Seymour. 
What? 

Mrs.    J  e  n  n  i  s  o  n. 
[Disappointed.]     Why  not? 

Walter. 

I'm  not  feeling  quite  right.  I  thought  I'd  stay  home 
and  rest. 

Seymour. 

Nonsense!  The  air'll  do  you  good.  Nothing  like  auto- 
mobiling  to  make  you  feel  good.  [Rubbing  his  hands.] 
Ask  Julia. 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

If  Walter  thinks  he'd  feel  better  staying  home,  maybe 
he'd  better  stay. 

Seymour. 

You  people  are  too  old-fashioned  for  me.  [To  Har- 
riett.] Give  him  Mrs.  Winslow's  Soothing  Syrup  and 
let  it  go  at  that.  Where's  Margaret?  Maybe  she'd  like 
to  go. 

Harriett. 

[Without  hesitation.]     She  slept  at  a  friend's  house. 

Seymour. 

Oh!  Well,  come  along,  Harriett.  You  women  can  sit 
in  the  back — I'll  stick  up  with  the  chauffeur.  We're 
losing  time. 


64  AMBUSH 

Harriett. 
I'll  get  my  gloves  and  things.     [Exits  upstairs.  J 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

[Anxiously,  follozving  Walter.]  You're  not  really  ill, 
Walter? 

Walter. 

Oh,  no. 

Seymour. 

[Surveying  the  room.]  Pretty  good  houses,  for  what 
they  are.  Not  a  bad  arrangement,  the  one  I'm  making 
with  Babbington.  [Straight  at  Walter.]  Don't  suppose 
you've  changed  your  mind?  [Walter  looks  up  absently.] 
I  asked  whether  you've  changed  your  mind  about  the 
stock? 

Walter. 

I  don't  feel  like  talking  business  just  now,  Seymour. 

Seymour. 

Seedy — that's  what  you  are.  Comes  from  sticking  too 
long  at  one  thing.  Here!  [Expands  his  chest.]  Expand- 
ing your  chest  like  that  is  good  for  you;  well,  expanding 
your  ideas  is  good  the  same  way. 

Walter. 
[Smiling  faintly.]    That's  a  good  argument  to  remember. 

Seymour. 

Oh,  I  won't  have  to  argue  much  longer.  In  six  months 
I'll   settle   down   to   managing  my   own   affairs,   and   the 


AMBUSH  65 

company  can  hire  somebody  else.     I'll  be  a  stockholder, 
but  not  an  employee. 

[Unseen  by  them,  Margaret  has  ascended  the 
steps.  The  door  having  been  left  ajar,  she 
enters.    Walter  hears  her,  and  turns.] 

Walter. 

Margaret !     [He  forgets  himself  in  his  excitement.] 

Margaret. 

[Timidly.]  Good  morning.  [She  is  nervous  and 
anxious.] 

Seymour. 
Hello,  Margaret. 

Margaret. 
Hello,  father! 

Seymour. 

Been  sleeping  out  with  a  friend,  I  hear?  How  children 
grow  up !  Seems  like  yesterday  you  had  to  be  put  to  bed — 
you  were  such  a  kid. 

[Harriett,  wearing  a  hat,  comes  downstairs.] 

Harriett. 

[With  a  trace  of  bitterness,  to  Margaret.]  I  thought 
I  heard  you.  [To  Seymour.]  Wait  for  me  in  the  car — 
I'll  be  right  out. 

Seymour. 
[To  Walter.]     Can't  persuade  you? 


66  AMBUSH 

Mrs.   J  e  n  n  i  so  n. 

So  sorry  you're  not  going,  Walter.    We've  got  lunch  in 
the  basket. 

Walter. 
No,  thanks. 

Harriett. 
There's  some  cold  things  for  him  in  the  ice-box. 

Seymour. 

[As  they  go.]     Come  along,  Julie. 

[Exeunt    Seymour    and    Mrs.    Jennison,    rear. 
Walter  is  too  full  of  emotion  for  speech.] 

Harriett. 

[Now  fairly  vibrating  with  anger,  to  Margaret.]     You 
ought  to  be  ashamed  of  yourself! 

Margaret. 
[On  her  dignity.]     Well,  Vll  say  this  is  a  nice  reception. 

Harriett. 
Where  have  you  been? 

Margaret. 
[Lightly.]     At  the  Lydall's. 

Harriett. 
Who? 


AMBUSH  67 

Margaret. 

Louise  Lydall  is  Alan's  cousin — I've  told  you  about  her. 
We  went  there  last  evening  and  she  persuaded  me  to  spend 
the  night. 

Harriett. 

Why  didn't  you  telephone  ?  Your  father  and  me  up  half 
the  night,  worrying! 

Margaret. 

You  don't  look  very  bad.  I  didn't  telephone  because  I 
couldn't  get  the  number.  I  called  and  called,  but  there 
was  no  answer. 

Harriett. 
I  thought  that  was  it.     [Starts  for  door.] 

Margaret. 
Isn't  father  going  with  you? 

Harriett. 

I  don't  think  so. 

[Walter  shakes  his  head.] 

Margaret. 
[Suddenly,  as  Harriett  is  at  the  door.]    Oh,  mother 

Harriett. 

What?  [She  crosses  swiftly  and  whispers  to  her  mother. 
Harriett  is  seen  to  whisper  in  reply,  and  then  she  speaks 
in  her  natural  tone.]     I  don't  blame  you. 


68  AMBUSH 

Margaret. 
[Earnestly.]     Remember —  I  mean  it! 

Harriett. 

[To  Walter.]  Margaret's  afraid  you're  going  to  make 
a  fuss  after  I  go. 

[Walter  is  silent.] 

Margaret. 

Are  you?    'Cause  if  you  are,  I'll  go  out  again. 

Walter. 
Margaret  dear,  you  mustn't  talk  like  that. 

Margaret. 

Besides,  Alan's  coming  for  me  in  the  afternoon  and  we're 
going  out  for  dinner.  I  don't  want  to  look  all  nervous  and 
unhappy. 

Walter. 
[Involuntarily.]      You're  going  out  again! 

Margaret. 

[Ugly.]  You  see!  Now,  listen  to  me!  If  you've  got 
any  questions  to  ask,  ask  them  now,  because  I  intend  to 
get  some  rest. 

Walter. 

You  were  with  Mr.  Kraigne's  cousin  who  lives  in 
Orange  ? 


AMBUSH  69 

Harriett. 
I  thought  that's  where  she  was. 

Margaret. 

What  about  it?  She  insisted  on  my  staying  there  and  I 
had  every  intention  of  phoning  and  telling  you  so.  Well, 
I  couldn't.  It  wasn't  my  fault.  Alan  had  already  gone 
and  there  was  no  way  for  me  to  get  home. 

Walter. 
All  right,  dear,  all  right. 

Margaret. 
Anything  more? 

Harriett. 

The  poor  girl  did  everything  she  could. 
[Margaret  exits  upstairs.] 

Walter. 
[Gently.]     She  might  have  phoned  this  morning. 

Harriett. 

It's  just  past  eleven — she  probably  came  the  moment  she 
was  dressed.  I  shouldn't  have  scolded  the  way  I  did. 
Now,  you're  not  going  to  bother  her,  are  you? 

[Seymour  appears  at  the  window  and  thrusts  his 
head  in.] 

Seymour. 
What  the  devil  is  keeping  you? 


70  AMBUSH 

Walter. 
[Cheerfully.]      Harriett's  ready. 

Harriett. 
[In  a  low  tone.]     You'll  be  careful? 

Walter. 
Don't  worry. 

Harriett. 
You're  a  funny  man !     [Exit  Harriett,  rear.] 

Seymour. 

[Calls  through  window.]     She'll  be  home  before  five. 

[Harriett    and   Seymour    disappear,    Seymour 
heard  talking  to  her  as  they  go.] 

We  want  to  eat  our  lunch  at  one.  The  morning's  the  best 
time  o*  day  for  riding. 

[Walter  is  alone.] 

Walter. 

[Calling.]  Margaret.  [His  voice  is  woefully  weak.] 
Margaret.  [No  answer;  he  climbs  the  first  step,  and  calls 
more  loudly.]     Margaret! 

Margaret. 

[Upstairs.]     Somebody  call  me? 

Walter. 
It's  father.     I'd  like  to  talk  to  you,  dear. 


I'm  lying  down. 


AMBUSH  71 

Margaret. 

Walter. 


Please  come. 

Margaret. 
I  told  you  I  wanted  to  rest. 

Walter. 
I  know,  but — please. 

Margaret. 

What's  it  about? 

Walter. 
Just  something  I  want  to  ask  you. 

Margaret. 

I  won't  answer  a  single  question.  [Walter  turns  baf- 
fled, but  to  his  surprise,  a  moment  later,  Margaret  speaks 
again.]  Oh!  all  right — I'll  come!  [Walter  closes  out- 
side door  as  Margaret  enters.]  What  do  you  want? 
[Walter  finds  it  difficult  to  explain.  He  wishes  to  be  gentle, 
but  finds  cross-examination  difficult  under  such  conditions.] 

Walter. 
Sit  down,  dear. 

Margaret. 
But    what's    the    idea?       [Catches    herself.]       I    mean, 


72  AMBUSH 

father,  that  I'm  sleepy.     Besides,  people  are  coming  for 
me  later  and  I  don't  want  to  look  tired  out. 

[Walter  has  gone  to  her.  Entirely  from  tender- 
ness he  tries  to  place  his  hand  on  her  shoulder. 
At  the  first  touch  she  shrinks  back  in  vague 
alarm.    He  looks  at  her.] 

Walter. 

Are  you  afraid  of  me?  [She  gives  him  a  quick  look,  dark 
and  suspicious,  dropping  her  eyes  again.]  You  act  as  if 
you  were,  and  I've  wondered  sometimes  whether  you  hide 
your  real  feelings  from  me  because  you  feel  I  would 
disapprove. 

Margaret. 
You  do  find  fault  an  awful  lot. 

Walter. 

I  don't  mean  to.  There  are  times  when  I  feel  I  ought — 
for  your  own  sake. 


M 


A  R  G  A  R  E  T. 


I  admit  you  have  a  right  to  be  angry  about  last  night,  but 
honestly  it  wasn't  mv  fault. 

Walter. 

I  want  you  to  feel,  though — always,  dear — that  what- 
ever I  say  or  do  is  because  I  love  you. 


Margaret. 
Well,  I'm  sorry.     I  can't  say  any  more  than  that. 


AMBUSH  73 

Walter. 
Don't  go  yet — please. 

Margaret. 

Can't  you  keep  what  you  have  to  say  until  some  time 
when  I  feel  better? 

Walter. 

This  moment  is  perfect.  I  couldn't  speak  like  this  if 
your  mother  were  home. 

Margaret. 
What  is  all  this?     You  promised  to  let  me  alone. 

Walter. 
I'm  unhappy,  dear. 

Margaret. 

You  take  things  too  seriously. 

Walter. 

That's  it — I  take  things  seriously.  I  wish  to  Heaven 
I  didn't,  but  since  I  do,  I'm  going  to  ask  you  to  relieve  me 
a  little.     Do  you  think  it  wise  to  keep  the  company  you  do  ? 

Margaret. 
What  company? 

Walter. 

Mr.  Kraigne,  for  instance,  and  his  friends. 


74  AMBUSH 

Margaret. 

Alan  goes  with  the  nicest  people  in  New  York. 

Walter. 

You  can't  afford  to  go  with  such  people. 

Margaret. 
It  doesn't  cost  me  anything. 

Walter. 

Not  in  money,  perhaps [She  looks  puzzled.]  Char- 
acter and  principles — and  self-respect.  I've  noticed  so 
often  of  late  that  you  seem  dissatisfied  here  at  home. 

Margaret. 

[Warmly.]  Well,  who  wouldn't?  The  only  thing  that 
makes  it  bearable  at  all  is  that  I  sometimes  have  a  chance 
to  get  away  from  it.  [He  drops  his  head;  Margaret  is 
affected.]  I  don't  mean  to  hurt  you,  father,  but  since  you 
ask  me  I  have  to  tell  the  truth. 

Walter. 

And  you  don't  see  my  reason  for  wanting  you  to  give 
them  up? 

Margaret. 

I  certainly  don't. 

[A  pause;  he  tries  another  tach.] 

Walter. 

How  do  you  spend  your  time  when  you  are  with  those 
people  ? 


AMBUSH  75 

Margaret. 

[Wearily.]     Oh,  goodness! 

Walter. 

I  didn't  mean  that.  Does — does  Mr.  Kraigne  ever  make 
love  to  you? 

[Margaret  gasps,  but  immediately  breaks  into  a 
laugh.] 

Margaret. 
What  an  idea ! 

Walter. 

Margaret,  darling,  you  must  tell  me  the  truth!  [Fixes 
his  eyes  on  her  and  a  note  of  sternness  creeps  into  his 
voice.]    Where  did  you  get  the  bracelet  you  wore  last  night? 

Margaret. 

[Calmly.]  You  heard  all  about  that  before  I  left.  Are 
you  going  to  begin  again? 

Walter. 

You  told  me  you  bought  it  yourself  and  that  it  wasn't 
real. 

Margaret. 

Yes,  and  you  know  that's  the  truth  because  mother  knew 
all  about  it. 

Walter. 

Your  mother  repeated  what  you  had  told  her. 


76  AMBUSH 

Margaret. 

Let  me  get  this  straight.     You  think  I  didn't  tell  the 
truth ;  is  that  it  ?    And  you  think  mother  didn't,  either  ? 

Walter. 

No!     No!     No!     You  told  her  the  stones  weren't  real 
and  she  believed  it,  just  as  I  did. 

Margaret. 

[Rising,  speaks  gravely.]      I  won't  stay  in  a  house  where 
I'm  called  a  liar.     [Starts  for  stairs.] 

Walter. 
Margaret !    We  must  come  to  an  understanding. 

Margaret. 

[Furiously.]    Do  you  suppose  I'll  stay  here  and  be  spoken 
to  like  that! 

Walter. 
However  much  it  hurts  both  of  us,  we  must  have  it  out. 

Margaret. 
Well,  come  on.    What  is  it? 

Walter. 
Where  did  you  get  that  bracelet? 

Margaret. 
I  bought  it. 


AMBUSH  77 

Walter. 
Where  did  you  get  the  money  to  buy  it? 

Margaret. 
[Scornfully.]     You  haven't  forgotten  that  I  work,  have 


you? 


Walter 


You  couldn't  have  saved  enough  from  your  salary  to 
buy  anything  like  that. 

Margaret. 
[Laughs.]     An  imitation. 

Walter. 
[Shaking  his  head.]      It  isn't  an  imitation. 

Margaret. 
It  is! 

Walter. 
I  know  better,  dear.     The  diamonds  are  real. 

Margaret. 

Well,  what  if  they  are?     Diamonds  of  poor  quality  are 
almost  as  cheap  as  imitations. 

Walter. 

You  couldn't  possibly  have  paid  for  it. 

[A  pause.     Margaret,  pale  and  tense,  is  like  an 
animal  driven  into  a  corner,  ready  to  fight.] 


78  AMBUSH 

Margaret. 

Now  remember:  if  you  drive  me  too  far,  I'll  leave  this 
house  and  never  come  back! 

Walter. 

I'm  not  trying  to  hurt  you — oh,  darling,  can't  you  see 
I'm  trying  to  help  you?  [She  starts  for  the  stairs.] 
There's  no  use  in  your  running  away — I'll  follow  you  and 
wait.  [She  is  undecided.]  I  must  understand  this,  be- 
cause, if  I  don't,  I'll  never  have  another  peaceful  hour. 
I  only  want  it  settled  now — between  us — so  your  mother 
needn't  know. 

Margaret. 

[Quickly.]     You  don't  want  mother  to  know  about  it? 

Walter. 

Not  if  we  can  possibly  help  it.  It  would  hurt  her  too 
much.     Now,  dear. 

Margaret. 

If  you  must  know,  it  was  given  to  me. 

Walter. 
Why  didn't  you  say  so  from  the  start? 

Margaret. 
You'd  have  made  me  give  it  back.     I  wanted  to  keep  it. 

Walter. 

You  preferred  to  deceive  me  about  it,  and  to  deceive 
your  mother? 


AMBUSH  79 

Margaret. 
I  deceived  you  both.     What  about  it? 

Walter. 
Who  gave  it  to  you?     [No  answer.]     Mr.  Kraigne? 

Margaret. 

Maybe. 

Walter. 
[Exasperated.]     Was  it  Mr.  Kraigne? 

Margaret. 

Yes,  it  was  Alan. 

[Now    she    has    answered,    his    voice    loses    all 
asperity.] 

Walter. 

Men  don't  make  gifts  like  that  unless  they  are  very  fond 
of  a  girl. 

Margaret. 

What  do  you  know  about  such  men?  They're  not  like 
you  and  your  friends.  [Archly.]  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
though,  Alan  does  like  me. 

Walter. 
It's  more  than  that ! 

Margaret. 

[Trying  to  be  angry,  but  actually  frightened.]     What 
do  you  mean  by  that? 


80  AMBUSH 

Walter. 

[Looks  at  her  closely.    She  drops  her  eyes  and  bursts  into 

tears.]     Dearest [For  an  instant  he  cannot  go  on.]     Oh, 

my  little  girl,  all  I  want  in  the  world  is  to  see  you  happy. 
Whatever  has   happened,  I   will  never  blame  you — never. 

Trust  me.     If  you  have  made  some  mistake nobody 

need  ever  know.     Just  you  and  I,  darling no  one  else, 

Why,  I'll  surround  you  with  tenderness  and  love 

Margaret. 

I'm  not  good  enough  to  touch  you ! 

[His  fear  now  becomes  a  certainty;  he  looks  be- 
fore him  with  dull  eyes  and  open  mouth,  then 
there  is  a  moment  of  silence.] 

Walter. 
I'm  your  father,  I  love  you,  I  want  to  help  you. 

Margaret. 

I  don't  want  you  to  help  me!  I  don't  want  anybody  to 
help  me ! 

Walter. 

[Shaking  his  head,  smiling  weakly.]  Do  you  think  I'm 
the  kind  of  a  father  who  would  turn  his  child  out  of  the 
house  ?  No,  dear,  I'm  going  to  love  you,  and  help  you  and 
make  you  forget.    You're  only  a  child,  darling,  after  all. 

Margaret. 
I  wasn't  to  blame!     I  swear  I  wasn't  to  blame! 


AMBUSH  81 

Walter. 

I'm  sure  you  weren't,  dear — I'm  sure.  [She  rises  and 
starts  for  phone.]     Where  are  you  going? 

Margaret, 

He's  calling  for  me  at  four  o'clock — I'm  going  to  tele- 
phone and  tell  him  not  to  come. 

Walter. 

[Involuntarily.]     No!     [She  looks  at  him.]     I'm  excited, 
dear,  I  hardly  know —    You're  quite  right,  dear. 
[Margaret  goes  to  telephone.] 

Margaret. 

[At  telephone.]  Morristown  8225.  [She  waits  for  an 
answer,  and  a  sob  escapes  her.  Hearing  an  expression  of 
her  grief,  he  has  a  struggle  to  keep  back  his  own  tears.] 
Daddy,  I'm  so  ashamed. 

Walter. 

[Looking  at  her.]  It's  all  right,  dearest.  We're  going 
to  begin  all  over  again.  Now  we  understand,  we  can  lay 
plans  for  the  future.  After  today  we'll  never  speak  of  it — 
never. 

Margaret. 

[At  telephone.]  Morristown  8225?  Mr.  Alan  Kraigne, 
please.  No?  [A  great  fear  comes  into  her  eyes.]  Will 
you  give  him  a  message,  please?,  Tell  him  Miss  Nichols 
cannot  meet  him  this  afternoon.  [Listens.]  Yes.  Thank 
you.  [Hangs  up  receiver.]  He  isn't  home.  I  shall  never 
see  him  again. 


*2  AMBUSH 

Walter. 
That's  right,  dear. 

Margaret. 

If  he  comes  here,  we  mustn't  see  him,  father —  not  you, 
either.     [She  sobs.] 

Walter. 
[Tenderly.]     Do  you  love  him,  dear? 

Margaret. 
Do  you  think,  if  I  didn't 

Walter. 

No!  No!  I  understand.  He  made  love  to  you,  he 
made  you  believe Did  he  promise  to  marry  you? 

Margaret. 

He  loved  me,  father,  and  he  promised  to  marry  me,  and 
/  loved  him. 

Walter. 

Of  course,  dear — what  a  fool  I  was  not  to  understand. 
[Furiously.]  These  men,  with  plenty  of  money  and  no 
conscience,  dangle  their  gifts  and  their  promises  before  a 
girl's  eyes 

Margaret. 
He  would  marry  me,  only — only  his  people  won't  let  him. 


AMBUSH  83 

Walter. 
He  has  told  you  that? 

Margaret. 
His  father  would  disinherit  him  if  he  did. 

Walter. 

The  beasts!  The  beasts!  [After  a  moment.]  Tell  me 
about  it,  can't  you — won't  you? 

Margaret. 
It  began  a  month  ago.     He  told  me  he  loved  me. 

Walter. 
And  did  you  care  for  him? 

Margaret. 

Oh,  so  much,  father!  He  told  me  that  some  day  we 
would  be  married.  You  can  imagine  how  I  felt.  He's  the 
only  man  I  ever  loved,  father. 

Walter. 
Did  you  ask  him  when  you  would  be  married? 

Margaret. 

He  said  it  would  happen  before  the  winter.  And  then — 
[She  breaks  down,  burying  her  head  in  her  hands.]  I  knew 
I  was  doing  wrong!  I  knew  it!  But  he  said  he  would 
marry  me  and  that  as  long  as  we  were  going  to  be  married, 
it  was  all  right. 


84  AMBUSH 

Walter. 
He  said  nothing  then  of  his  parents'  opposition  ? 

Margaret. 

A  week  later.     [Thinks  hard.]     Yes,  it  was  a  week.    It 
nearly  killed  me.     [A  pause.] 

Walter. 

[Puzzled.]      Even  after  he  told  you,  you  continued  to 
meet  him. 

Margaret. 

[In  a  hard  tone.]     Why  not?     Nothing  mattered  any 
more. 

Walter. 
You  mustn't  say  that !    You  mustn't  believe  it ! 

Margaret. 
My  life  is  ruined.     I  don't  care  now  what  happens  to  me. 

Walter. 

No,  Margaret.    Everything  can  be  all  right— it  depends 
on  the  future. 

Margaret. 

Do  you  really  believe  it  can,  daddy?     Say  you  believe 
it 

Walter. 

[Encouragingly.]     Of  course  I  believe  it,  dear.     You're 
a  good  girl  at  heart. 


AMBUSH  85 

Margaret. 

You'll  trust  me? 

Walter. 

Always!  [Holds  her  tightly.]  They've  lied  to  you  and 
made  you  unhappy.  All  I've  ever  wanted  was  to  make  you 
happy.  But  it's  going  to  be  all  right,  dear.  If  he  loves 
you  enough  he  will  break  down  every  obstacle  and  claim 
you;  if  he  doesn't,  you  must  bury  your  love  for  him  deep 
down  in  your  heart  and  little  by  little  time  will  lay  the 
dust  upon  it. 

[Margaret  raises  her  head.] 

Margaret. 

You  must  never  mention  all  this  again — never! 

Walter. 

After  today  not  a  word  will  be  said.  It's  our  secret. 
Your  mother  will  never  suspect —  you'll  see. 

Margaret. 
I  couldn't  stand  it! 

[With  infinite  tenderness  he  takes  her  in  his  arms 
and  kisses  her.  Tears  start  afresh  from  her 
eyes,  and  as  he  releases  her  she  utters  a  great 
sob.  Still  weeping,  she  rushes  from  him  and 
hurries  up  the  stairs.] 

Walter. 

[Calling  softly.]  Margaret.  [At  telephone.]  Morris- 
town  2 — no — 8225.  Is  this  Morristown  8225?  Mr.  How- 
ard Kraigne,  please.     [Listens.]     Mr.  Kraigne?     [Instinc- 


86  AMBUSH 

tively  he  becomes  the  clerk,  and  there  is  something  deferen- 
tial in  the  way  he  introduces  himself.]  This  is  Walter 
Nichols  speaking — Walter  Nichols,  the  clerk  at  L.  A.  Pres- 
ton &  Co.  I  hope  you'll  pardon  my  telephoning  to  you, 
Mr.  Kraigne — 

[The  curtain  has  been  descending  and  the  rest  of 
his  speech  cannot  be  heard.] 

CURTAIN. 

[The  curtain  rises  almost  immediately  and 
Walter  is  discovered  at  the  door.  Walter 
opens  the  door.  He  is  very  nervous  and  very 
polite.] 

Walter. 

[With  a  bow.]  Good  afternoon,  Mr.  Kraigne.  Won't 
you  come  in? 

[Howard  Kraigne  looks  at  his  host  keenly  as  he 
comes  in,  and  Walter  shuts  the  door  behind 
him.  He  asks  for  Kraigne's  hat  in  pantomime, 
and  hangs  it  upon  the  hatrack.  Kraigne  is  a 
man  of  55,  tall,  good-looking,  quiet,  dignified. 
His  hair  is  quite  gray,  but  he  is  strongly  built 
and  walks  with  the  air  of  a  younger  man, 

Kraigne. 
I  came  as  soon  as  I  could.     How  are  you,  Nichols? 

Walter. 

I'm  well,  thanks.  Will  you  sit  down?  [Kraigne  sits  as 
indicated  by  Walter.]  I  appreciate  your  coming,  Mr. 
Kraigne.     You  didn't  mention  my  phone  call  to  your  son? 


AMBUSH  87 

Kraione. 

Alan  hasn't  been  home  since  dinner-time  last  evening. 
But  you  asked  me  not  to  mention  it,  so  I  shouldn't  have 
said  anything  even  if  I  had  seen  him.  Now,  perhaps  you 
will  be  good  enough  to  tell  me  what  all  this  is  about. 

Walter. 
It  concerns  your  son  and  my  daughter. 

K  R  A  I  G  N  E. 

I  thought  it  was  something  like  that.  How  old  is  your 
daughter  ? 

Walter. 
Nineteen. 

Kraione. 

What  sort  of  a  girl  is  she? 

Walter. 
"What  sort" 

Kraione. 
Is  she  lively,  or  is  she  the  quiet,  domesticated  type? 

Walter. 
[In  difficulties.]     What  happened  came  as  a  great  shock. 

Kraione. 
Your  wife  is  living? 

Walter. 
She  is  out  at  present. 


88  AMBUSH 

Kraigne. 

What  I  am  trying  to  find  out  is  this:  is  your  daughter 
a  girl  who  knows  something  of  life  and  so  may  be  presumed 
to  know  what  she  is  doing,  or  is  she 

Walter. 

I  will  let  you  judge  for  yourself,  later.  I  thought  it  best 
for  you  and  me  to  talk  before  I  call  her. 

Kraigne. 

By  all  means.  You  will  find  me  very  easy  to  reason 
with.  There  has  been  some  sort  of  affair,  I  take  it,  between 
your  daughter  and  Alan?  [Walter,  wincing,  drops  his 
head.]     Have  you  met  my  son? 

Walter. 
Last  night,  when  he  called  for  Margaret. 

Kraigne. 
How  did  he  impress  you? 

Walter. 
Very  well,  at  the  time. 

Kraigne. 

You  see,  I  believe  in  looking  at  a  question  from  every 
side. 

Walter. 
I  only  spoke  to  him  for  a  moment. 


AMBUSH  89 

Kraigne. 

Then  you  didn't  know,  at  that  time,  what  you  know  now  ? 
[Walter  shakes  his  head.]  My  son  has  virtues  and  vices 
like  most  young  men  brought  up  as  he  has  been.  You  see, 
I  began  life  very  poor — when  I  married,  I  was  already 
doing  well.  My  son  was  brought  up  with  plenty  of 
money,  but  no  traditions  regarding  the  way  it  should  be 
spent;  pleasure  is  what  he  has  always  sought.  But  he's 
no  worse  than  other  young  men  in  such  circumstances — 
better  than  most,  in  fact.  [With  conviction.]  There's  one 
thing  about  him — he's  honest  and  truthful  and  hates  de- 
ception of  any  kind.  I  make  a  point  of  that.  [Briskly.] 
How  did  you  learn  what  you  did? 

Walter. 

Margaret  was  wearing  this  last  night.  When  I  asked 
her  about  it,  she  said  she  bought  it  herself  and  that  the 
stones  were  imitations.  My  wife  said  the  same  thing — 
you  see,  Margaret  had  told  her  the  same  story. 

Kraigne. 
It  wasn't  true? 

Walter. 
It  was  a  gift  from  your  son. 

Kraigne. 

[Cynically.]  I  forgot  to  mention,  among  my  son's  vir- 
tues, that  he  is  very  generous.  [Returns  the  bracelet  to 
Walter.  Kraigne  says  thoughtfully :]  You  realize  that 
all  this  shows  your  daughter  to  be  rather  accomplished  in 
the  art  of  deception? 


90  AMBUSH 

Walter. 

[Hurt.]  How  could  she  tell  the  truth  about  a  thing 
like  that? 

Kraigne. 

I  grant  you  her  motive  was  adequate.  How  did  you 
learn  the  real  facts  ? 

Walter. 

A  friend  to  whom  I  showed  it  and  who  used  to  be  in  the 
jewelry  business  declared  it  was  genuine.  I  taxed  Margaret 
with  it  just  before  I  phoned  to  you,  and  she  admitted  it 
was  given  her.  Of  course,  I  was  mortified — I'm  suffering 
now  more  than  you  think.  Little  by  little  I  learned  the 
rest  of  the  story. 

[There  is  an  interruption.] 

Margaret. 

[From  upstairs.]     Father! 

Walter. 
Yes,  dear? 

Margaret. 

Are  you  talking  to  somebody? 

Walter. 

Yes,  but  it's  no  one  you  know.  [Whispers.]  She  thinks 
your  son  may  come. 

Kraigne. 

He  hasn't  been  here  yet  today? 


AMBUSH  91 

Walter. 
No;  Margaret  came  home  alone  this  morning 

Kraione. 
She  didn't  spend  the  night  at  home? 

Walter. 

They  visited  your  cousin  in  Orange — Miss  Lydall,  I 
believe  is  the  name — and  Margaret  spent  the  night  there. 

Kraione. 

I'm  afraid  there's  some  mistake,  Nichols.  Miss  Lydall, 
with  her  mother  and  father,  visited  us  this  morning,  and 
all  three  mentioned  that  they  hadn't  seen  Alan  for  weeks. 

Walter. 

Then  last  night [He  turns  away  from  Kraione,  un- 

willing  to  have  the  latter  see  his  grief.] 

Kraione. 

What  made  you  think  they  were  at  the  Lydall's?  [There 
is  no  reply.]     Did  she  say  so? 

Walter. 

It  was  before  I  learned  the  truth.  She  didn't  want  me 
to  find  out. 

Kraione. 

It  would  be  a  natural  thing  for  her  to  say. 

Walter. 
[Sharply.]     She  said  it  to  spare  me! 


92  AMBUSH 

Kraigne. 
No  doubt.     Still,  one  hates  to  find  a  girl  too  clever. 

Walter. 

She  isn't  to  blame!  The  cause  of  it  was  that  your  son, 
under  the  promise  of  marriage,  won  my  girl's  affections 

Kraigne. 

It  was  foolish  of  her  to  yield. 

Walter. 
She  is  a  child. 

Kraigne. 

Nineteen  is  not  so  young  as  it  used  to  be. 

Walter. 
It  is  still  very  young. 

Kraigne. 

Even  at  nineteen  women  have  certain  restraints.  [Walter 
is  puzzled.]  I  don't  know  any  better  term  for  it — it's 
only  in  the  last  ten  or  twelve  years  that  I've  had  the  leisure 
for  reading  and  study.  What  I  mean  is  that  good  women 
have  certain  instincts  which,  so  to  speak,  protect  their 
modesty. 

Walter. 
And  you  mean  that  Margaret 


AMBUSH  93 

Kraigne. 

I  am  generalizing — I  merely  want  to  point  out  that,  in 
love  affairs  quite  as  much  as  in  business,  it  takes  two  to 
make  a  bargain.     Alan,  you  say,  promised  to  marry  her? 

Walter. 

Yes. 

Kraigne. 

In  that  case  your  daughter  made  a  grave  error  in  judg- 
ment. To  accord  a  man  the  privilege  of  marriage  without 
having  the  deal  consummated  is  like  giving  a  man  the  benefit 
of  a  contract  and  waiving  his  consideration.  [Warmly.] 
Nevertheless,  that  would  not  excuse  my  son. 

Walter. 
I'm  glad  you  take  that  view  of  it. 

Kraigne. 

I  won't  have  him  lie  or  do  dishonest  things!  If  he 
promised  to  marry  your  daughter  he  must  explain  his 
change  of  mind. 

Walter. 

He  said  his  parents  would  disinherit  him  if  he  married 
her. 

Kraigne. 

What!  [He  exhibits  his  first  sign  of  excitement,  but 
recovers  himself  immediately.] 

Walter. 

Yes! 


94  AMBUSH 

Kraigne. 

I  daresay  his  mother  would  disapprove.  [Grimly.]  But 
disinheriting  could  only  be  done  by  me. 

Walter. 
You  knew  nothing  of  all  this? 

Kraigne. 

Certainly  not.  You're  an  intelligent  man — and  educated. 
More  educated  than  I,  for  instance,  and  yet  you  accept  the 
easiest  and  most  obvious  explanation  of  all  the  things 
you  see.  Don't  you  know,  Nichols,  that  when  a  girl  is — 
when  she  yields — it  might  be  for  any  one  of  a  dozen 
reasons?  Sometimes  the  girl  is  deceived,  but  not  always. 
And  sometimes  the  reasons  are  positively  trivial — boredom, 

love  of  excitement,  curiosity [Walter  turns.]     Oh, 

yes,  my  dear  Nichols,  that's  perfectly  true And  it's 

also  true  that  women  nowadays  are  restless  and — in  a 
material  sense — ambitious.  When  such  women  yield  it's  be- 
cause they  see  a  chance  to  advance  themselves. 

Walter. 
[Horrified.]     Advance  themselves! 

Kraigne. 

In  a  material  sense.  Again  I  apologize  if  I  hurt  you,  but 
I  take  it  you  are  not  in  a  position  to  offer  your  women-folk 
luxuries  ?  Has  it  never  seemed  to  you  that  they  resent  this 
fact? 

Walter. 
[Defensively.]     I  suppose  it's  human  nature. 


AMBUSH  95 

Krai  on  e. 

Of  course  it  is.  It's  human  nature.  But  it  isn't  always 
money  that  attracts  them — as  often  as  not  a  girl  sees  in 
her  intimate  relationship  with  a  man  her  only  opportunity 
to  associate  with  people  in  what  is  called  wa  higher  social 
sphere"   than  her  own. 

Walter. 
I'm  sure 

K  R  A  I  GN  E. 

I  don't  say  this  is  true  of  your  daughter — I  have  no 
opinion  on  the  subject.  [Shakes  his  head  reflectively.] 
Such  women  are  usually  disappointed.  They  meet  the  men- 
folk all  right  enough,  but  until  the  women  folk  accept  them 
they're  still  derelicts.  [Draws  a  long  breath,  laughs.] 
Good  heavens,  how  far  afield  we  are! 

Walter. 
[Politely.]     It's  very  interesting,  sir. 

Kraigne. 

[Dryly.]  Yes,  I've  noticed  that  the  sex  problem  interests 
everybody.  [Walter  looks  up  anxiously.]  I  didn't  mean 
to  be  frivolous,  I  beg  your  pardon.  [Sympathetically .]  I 
know  how  you  feel.  I  don't  pretend  I  can  put  myself  in 
your  place,  for  I'm  a  pretty  callous  person,  but  I  recognize 
your  grief  and  I  respect  it.  More  than  that,  my  dear 
Nichols,  I  shall  do  all  in  my  power  to  dispel  it.  If  my 
son  gained  your  daughter's  confidence  through  promise  of 
marriage,  I  shall  demand  that  he    keep  his  word. 

[Walter  can  hardly  believe  this.     He  stares  at 
Kraigne  in  amazement.] 


96  AMBUSH 

Walter. 

You  won't  oppose  them? 

K  R  A  I  G  N  E. 

My  argument  will  be  entirely  the  other  way. 


W 


ALTER, 


Oh,  my  dear  Mr.  Kraigne!  [On  his  feet,  he  ecstatically 
grasps  Kraigne's  hand.] 

Kraigne. 

Of  course,  they  must  satisfy  us  that  they  want  to  marry. 
There'd  be  no  sense  in  bringing  about  a  marriage  they  don't 
want. 

Walter. 

There'll  be  no  trouble  about  that.  Margaret  told  me 
your  son  is  very  much  in  love  with  her,  and  as  for 
Margaret 

Kraigne. 

[Rises,  smiling.]  Looks  as  if  we'd  done  a  good  piece  of 
business  today,  doesn't  it? 

Walter. 

I  can't  tell  you  how  much  I  appreciate  your  stand  in 
this  matter,  sir.  My  wife  and  daughter  are  all  I  have  in 
the  world [Kraigne,  still  smiling,  shakes  his  head.] 

Why  do  you  shake  your  head,  sir? 


AMBUSH  97 

K  R  A  I  G  N  E. 

Because  they're  not  all  you  have,  Nichols.  You  have 
another  possession  that's  a  beautiful  thing  in  itself,  but 
that's  capable  of  being  a  pretty  heavy  burden.  [Walter 
is  puzzled.]  Pride,  my  dear  Nichols,  pride.  The  tenderest 
spot  of  your  whole  carcass  is  your  self-respect.  When 
anything  wounds  that,  you  suffer  the  agonies  of  the 
damned. 

Walter. 
So  you've  noticed  that? 

K  r  A  I  G  N  E. 

Noticed  it!  It's  one  of  the  first  things  I  look  for  in  a 
man — if  he's  got  it  he's  a  gentleman;  but  it  doesn't  help 
him  to  make  money.     [Walter  starts.]     What  is  it? 

[From  time  to  time  Walter  has  cast  quick  glances 
through  the  window,  and  now,  while  Kraigne 
is  speaking,  he  sees  Alan  ascending.] 

Walter. 

She  mustn't  know  he's  here!  [He  quickly  opens  the 
door.    Alan  does  not  at  first  see  his  father.] 

Alan. 

[To  Walter.]      Good  afternoon,  Mr.  Nichols. 

[Walter  stands  aside,  and  Alan  enters.  As 
Alan  sees  his  father  he  starts.] 

Kraigne. 

Hello,  young  man.  [He  is  not  in  the  least  excited,  but 
he  says  to  Walter:]     Excuse  my  emotion,  Nichols,  but  this 


98  AMBUSH 

is  the  first  time  I've  seen  my  son  today.     [To  Alan.]     You 
haven't  been  home,  have  you? 

Alan. 

No. 

Kraigne. 

If  you  had,  you'd  have  found  a  message  from  Miss 
Nichols,  saying  she  couldn't  meet  you  today. 

Alan. 
What  are  you  doing  here,  dad? 

Kraigne. 
Mr.  Nichols  and  I  have  just  had  a  most  interesting  chat. 

[Alan  looks  at  Walter,  who  has  come  down  on 
his  right.] 

Alan. 

[Trying  to  appear  easy.]  I  didn't  know  you  knew  Mr. 
Nichols. 

Kraigne. 

We've  known  each  other  for  years — but  never  quite  so 
well  as  today.  [To  Walter.]  Shall  I  do  the  talking? 
[Walter  nods.]  Son,  are  you  in  love  with  Mr.  Nichols' 
daughter  ? 

Alan. 

[Quickly.]  Who  told  you  that?  [To  Walter.]  Did 
you  send  for  my  father? 


AMBUSH  99 

Walter. 
I  was  deeply  distressed  by  something 

Kraigne. 

Better  let  me  do  it.  [To  Alan.]  Mr.  Nichols  and  I 
were  talking  about  you  young  people.  He  tells  me  you 
want  to  marry  his  daughter  and  that  I  won't  consent. 

Alan. 

[Loudly,  angry.]     Let  me  understand  this.    He  said 

[There  is  an  interruption.] 

Margaret. 

[Off.]     Father! 
[Walter  is  worried;  goes  to  the  stairs.] 

Walter. 

[Calling.]      Yes,  dear? 

Margaret. 
[Of. I     Who's  that  talking  now? 

Alan. 

[In  a  low  tone.]  Look  here,  don't  let's  make  things 
unpleasant  for  Margaret. 

Margaret. 
Alan! 

Alan. 

The  devil ! 


100  AMBUSH 

Margaret. 

[Hurrying  donm  the  sta;rs.[  I  knew  it  was  Alan!  Why 
didn't  somebody  tell  me? 

Alan. 

[Politely.]  This  is  my  father.  Margie.  [Kraigne 
ootrs.]  If  my  father  is  willing,  he  and  I  will  leave  you 
and  talk  over  a  certain  matter  alone. 

Kraigne. 
Sorry,  son,  but  we've  gone  too  far  for  that. 

Walter. 

[Who  has  crossed  to  Margaret,  touches  her  arm  reas- 
suringly.] It's  all  right,  dear.  [Margaret's  quick  move- 
ment shakes  him  off.]  This  is  a  difficult  moment  for  you. 
dear,  but  believe  me  it's  for  the  best. 

Margaret. 

I  don't  understand  at  all.  I'd  like  to  talk  to  Alan  alone 
for  a  moment. 

Kraigne. 

I'd  rather  you  didn't.  [As  Alan  starts  to  join  her,  he 
cries  sternly.]  Alan!  [Alan  stops,  and  Kraigne's  voice 
loses  its  severity.]  I  want  you  young  people  to  understand 
that  I  am  your  friend.  [Briskly.]  I  am  told — it's  a  dev- 
ilish hard  thing  to  say.  but  I  am  told  there  has  been  some- 
thing of — ah,  an  intimate  nature  between  you. 

[Margaret  instinctively  turns  away,  Alan  goes 
to  his  father.] 


AMBUSH  101 

Alan. 

[Pleading.]      Dad ? 

Era  i  on  e. 

That  much  we  will  take  for  granted,  if  you  don't  object. 
Now!  Did  you  and  Miss  Nichols  ever  discuss  marriage? 
Don't  be  afraid  to  speak — I'm  prepared  to  be  your  friend. 
Did  you  ask  Miss  Nichols  to  marry  you? 

Alan. 
Look  here,  dad,  don't  you  think 


K  R  A  I  ON  E. 

Answer  me,  sir ! 

Alan. 

I'm  very  fond  of  Margaret 

Kraione. 
I  didn't  ask  you  that. 

Alan. 

And  if  there  were  any  good  reason  why  I  should  marry 
her 

Margaret. 

I  won't  stand  it !     Get  out  of  here,  both  of  you !     Father, 
tell  them  to  get  out ! 

Walter. 
But,  Margaret 


102  AMBUSH 

Margaret. 

[Hysterically.]  Tell  them  to  get  out,  I  say!  I  wouldn't 
marry  him  now  if  he  went  down  on  his  knees  and  asked  me 
to!  [To  Alan.]  Don't  answer  any  more  questions.  [To 
Walter.]  I  tell  you  I  won't  marry  him!  I  never  want 
to  see  him  again.  Do  you  suppose  I'd  marry  a  man  who's 
forced  on  me?  [To  Alan.]  If  you  don't  want  to  drive 
me  crazy,  get  out! 

Alan. 

I'm  sorry  for  all  this,  Margie,  but  I  don't  think  it's  my 
fault.  [Exit  Alan,  rear.  Kraigne  follows  him,  picking  up 
hat  from  telephone  table.] 


W 


alter. 


One  moment,  Mr.  Kraigne — please.  I  want  to  return 
this  bracelet  to  your  son.  Oh! — her  mother  expects  to  re- 
turn it  to  New  York  next  week.  How'll  we  explain  if  it 
isn't  here? 

Kraigne. 
Do  whatever  seems  best,  Nichols. 

Walter. 
I'll  return  it  to  you,  sir,  within  a  month.    I'll  find  a  way. 

Kraigne. 

[While  Walter  locks  the  box.]  Choose  your  own  time. 
Good  afternoon. 

Walter. 

Good  afternoon,  Mr.  Kraigne. 

[Exit  Kraigne,  rear.     As  the  door  closes,  Mar- 
garet turns  to  Walter.] 


AMBUSH  103 

Margaret. 

I  hope  you're  satisfied  now — you  fool!  Why  can't  you 
let  me  handle  my  own  affairs?  Why  do  you  have  to  butt 
in  and  make  a  mess  of  everything?  [Walter  starts  to 
speak.]  Don't  tell  me  again  you  did  it  for  the  best,  what- 
ever you  do ! 

Walter. 

I  thought  you  loved  each  other  and  that 

Margaret. 

Bringing  his  father  here !  Do  you  suppose  he'd  tell  the 
truth  in  front  of  his  father  ? 

Walter. 

Why  not? 

Margaret. 

Well,  he  didn't,  did  he?  [Furiously.]  Or  maybe  you 
think  I'm  lying? 

Walter. 

No,  dear,  no.  And  you  did  quite  right  in  refusing  to 
marry  him,  after  the  way  he  acted.  If  he  were  the  right 
kind  of  a  man,  he  would  have  stood  up  to  his  father  and — 
instead  of  that  he  hesitated  and — Mr.  Kraigne  told  me 
there  had  never  been  any  talk  of  disinheriting  his  son,  or 
anything  like  that.  He  knew  nothing  about  the  whole 
affair. 

Margaret. 

That's  why  I  wouldn't  wait  to  hear  Alan's  explanation. 
The  minute  I  saw  how  kind  Mr.  Kraigne  was,  I  knew  Alan 


104  AMBUSH 

had  lied  to  me.      [Margaret  starts  to  weep.]     What's  to 
become  of  me  now? 

Walter. 

It's  all  just  as  I  told  you  before  they  came.  The  idea 
that  a  girl's  life  is  wrecked  because  she  makes  a  single 
mistake  is  ridiculous.  Your  mother  will  be  home  soon. 
Thank  God  she  didn't  come  while  they  were  here!  [Mar- 
garet, her  handkerchief  to  her  eyes,  moves  to  the  stairs. 
As  she  goes,  Walter  recalls  something.]  Margaret?  [She 
stops.]  What  did  young  Mr.  Kraigne  mean  by  saying  "If 
there  were  any  good  reason  why  I  should  marry  her"? 

Margaret. 

How  should  I  know? 

Walter. 

[His  eyes  distressed,  grasping  the  back  of  the  chair.] 
There — there  has  never  been  anyone  else? 

Margaret. 

Oh!  [She  is  furious  again,  and  her  voice  is  loud.]  This 
is  more  than  I'll  stand!  You've  gone  too  far  this  time! 
Now  you'll  be  sorry  for  it ! 

Walter. 

Margaret!  I  didn't  mean  that!  I  didn't!  Margaret! 
[He  tries  to  take  her  hand,  she  draws  back  her  arm  and 
strikes  him  on  the  side  of  the  face.] 

Margaret. 

Damn  you!  Damn  you!  [He  recoils  from  the  blow, 
crushed  more  by  the  fact  that  she  has  done  this  than  by 
any  physical  pain.    Margaret  rushes  upstairs.] 


AMBUSH  105 

Seymour. 

[Off.]  Here  we  are,  safe  and  sound.  This  is  the  life, 
all  right !  Wait  till  we  tell  that  husband  of  yours  about  it. 
[Harriett  enters,  followed  by  Seymour.  The  latter  is 
glowing  with  excitement.]  You  don't  know  what  you 
missed,  Walter.    How  about  it,  Harriett? 

Harriett. 

That's  right.     [She  goes  upstairs.] 

Seymour. 

We  went  up  into  the  woods  back  of  Newark  and  had 
lunch  under  the  trees.  You  don't  know  how  beautiful  the 
scenery  is  out  there  until  you  go  in  a  car.     Feeling  better  ? 

Walter. 
A  little. 

Seymour. 

You  don't  look  better.  Julia's  in  the  car.  I  thought  I'd 
die  laughing,  she  was  so  scared  when  Frank  let  it  out. 
Harriett's  different — she  likes  it  Now  listen.  Harriett 
and  I  had  it  all  out  about  Magnificus  Oil,  and  she's  of  the 
same  opinion  as  I  am — you're  acting  like  a  baby  in  not 
grasping  an  opportunity  like  this.  It  can*t  go  wrong!  I 
know  all  about  it — every  blessed  turn  and  twist  of  the  busi- 
ness, and  if  I  say  it's  all  right,  it  is.  Harriett's  not  so 
young  any  more  and  Margaret's  at  a  marriageable  age. 
You  owe  it  to  both  of  'em  to  get  a  move  on. 

Walter. 
Not  now,  Seymour. 


106  AMBUSH 

Seymour. 
But,  listen! 

Walter. 

Some  other  time. 

Seymour. 

So  long !  Oh,  by  the  way,  Walter,  I  might  pick  you  up 
Monday  evening  and  bring  you  out  in  the  car.  Won't  be 
able  to  read  your  newspaper,  but  you'll  get  some  fresh 
air!     [He  laughs  loudly  and  exits.    Enter  Harriett.] 

Walter. 

I'm  glad  you  had  a  nice  ride,  Harriett.  [There  is  no 
reply.] 

Harriett. 

What's  happened  between  you  and  Margaret? 

Walter. 
Why,  nothing. 

Harriett. 

I  went  up  to  put  my  hat  away  and  I  heard  her  crying. 
She  acts  like  you — she  says  it's  nothing  too. 

Walter. 
Well,  it's  true. 

Harriett. 
It  is  not.     You've  been  asking  her  questions  again. 


AMBUSH  107 

Walter. 

Only  about  last  night — she  explained  it  all  perfectly. 
And  I've  done  what  I  told  you  I  would — she's  to  keep  the 
bracelet. 

Harriett. 
The  minute  I  leave  this  house,  something  goes  wrong. 

Walter. 

And  there's  one  other  thing — Margaret  agrees  with  me 
about  men  like  Mr.  Kraigne  and  she's  not  going  to  see  him 
any  more. 

Harriett. 

I  don't  see  why.  Anyhow,  you  said  something  to  Mar- 
garet that's  made  her  terribly  mad  and  we've  got  to  decide 
how  to  keep  her  home. 

Walter. 
Keep  her  home ! 

Harriett. 

[Irritably.]  Don't  stand  there,  repeating  everything  I 
say.  I  tell  you  Margaret  is  going  to  leave  us  if  we  don't 
do  something  to  prevent  it.  Girls  aren't  as  easily  satisfied 
nowadays  as  they  used  to  be.  They  want  nice  clothes  and 
pleasures  that  cost  money 

Walter. 
We  can't  afford  them. 


108  AMBUSH 

Harriett. 

Maybe  we  can.  You  see  what  Seymour  Jennison's  done. 
Why  can't  you  do  the  same  thing?  If  you  weren't  so 
obstinate  and  heartless — yes,  heartless — you  have  no  con- 
sideration for  Margaret  and  me.  Just  because  you're  satis- 
fied, you  think  we  are. 

Walter. 
All  we  have  is  Margaret's  money. 

Harriett. 

It  isn't  Margaret's — }rou've  just  been  saving  it  for  her. 
And  even  if  it  was,  could  you  find  any  better  use  for  it  than 
to  spend  it  and  keep  her  with  us?     Here  she  is  now. 

[They  face  the  stairs  as  Margaret  appears.  She 
is  dressed  for  the  street,  wearing  a  hat  and 
carrying  a  small  bag.] 

Walter. 
Margaret ! 

Margaret. 
[Dully.]      I  can't  stand  it  here  any  more. 

Walter. 

Dearest,  you  mustn't  go.     Mother  and  I  have  just  made 

some  plans Listen,  dear.     We  both  believe  that  Mr. 

Jennison's  scheme  is  a  good  one  and  I'm  going  to  sell  the 
securities  we've  been  holding  and  invest  the  money  in  it. 
All  but  a  few  hundred  dollars.  Those  few  hundred  I'll 
keep  out  and  you  can  buy  anything  you  want  with  it. 

[Harriett  goes  into  the  kitchen.] 


AMBUSH  109 

Margaret. 

[Chokingly.]  Father!  [He  gently  takes  the  bag  from 
her  hand,  laying  it  on  the  chair  near  the  stairs.] 

Walter. 

There;    will  that  be  all  right? 

Margaret. 

Father,  I  don't  deserve  your  kindness!  I'm  a  wicked 
girl.  [He  shakes  his  head.]  Yes,  I  am.  But  I'll  never 
do  anything  to  hurt  you  again !  Just  forgive  me  this  time, 
daddy,  and  I'll  never  be  wicked  again.  I'll  do  anything  I 
can  to  deserve  your  love ! 

Walter. 

[Overcome.]     My  darling! 
[Harriett  re-enters.] 

Harriett. 

[To  Walter.]  Why  don't  you  go  over  to  Seymour's 
and  tell  him  what  you're  going  to  do? 

Walter. 
I  will!     I  will! 

Harriett. 

[Turns  to  Margaret.]  Take  off  your  hat.  And  take 
that  upstairs  again.  [Silently  Margaret  takes  up  the  bag 
and  starts  for  the  stairs.  Walter  at  the  half-opened  door. 
To  Walter.]  You  and  her — neither  of  you  ever  listen 
to  me.  And  the  Lord  knows  I'm  the  only  one  of  the  three 
that's  got  any  sense! 

CURTAIN. 


AMBUSH 
Act  III 


111 


ACT  THREE. 

SCENE:  The  scene  is  the  same  as  in  the  previous  act. 
As  it  is  winter  and  evening,  the  windows  are  closed,  the 
shades  drawn,  and  the  lights  lit. 

As  the  curtain  rises,  Walter  in  the  act  of  entering  the 
house.  He  wears  a  heavy  overcoat.  The  last  six  months 
have  aged  Walter  considerably.  Not  only  have  his  looks 
changed,  but  he  has  lost  some  of  his  self-control  and  most 
of  his  confidence.  But  he  is  still  brave  and  has  much  of 
his  old-time  dignity  of  manner. 

He  is  hanging  up  his  coat  and  hat,  and  rubbing  his  hands, 
as  Margaret  enters  from  upstairs,  humming. 

Margaret  has  never  looked  better  nor  happier.  The 
suit  she  wears  is  of  finer  material  than  the  suits  in  which 
she  was  previously  seen. 

Margaret. 

Hello,  father.     Cold,  isn't  it? 

Walter. 
Very.     You  got  home  early  today? 

Margaret. 

I've  been  home  an  hour.  There  wasn't  much  to  do  at 
the  office — always  slow  just  before  Christmas.  [She 
polishes  her  nails  with  a  buffer  she  has  carried  down.]  I 
won't  be  home  for  dinner. 

113 


114  AMBUSH 

Walter. 
No? 

Margaret. 

[Busy  with  the  buffer.]  Mr.  Lithridge  is  coming  for 
me  and  we're  going  to  take  dinner  in  New  York. 

Walter. 
Coming  all  the  way  out  here  to  fetch  you ! 

Margaret. 

He's  got  imagination — he  knows  there  isn't  much  fun 
riding  in  the  tube.  We're  going  to  the  theatre  after  dinner. 
[She  hums  a  few  bars  of  a  popular  dance  tune.]  What 
would  you  think  of  my  giving  up  work? 

Walter. 
What  makes  you  think  of  doing  that? 

Margaret. 
I  don't  want  to  work  if  I  don't  have  to. 

Walter. 
Work  won't  hurt  you. 

Margaret. 

I  don't  work  hard  enough  for  it  to  hurt  me.  What  I 
have  in  mind  is  that  it's  easier  for  a  girl  to  get  along  if 
she  doesn't  do  anything.  The  people  I  meet — George's 
friends,  for  instance — we're  all  equals  until  they  find  it 
out.  After  that  I  can't  help  feeling  that  they  look  down 
on  me. 


AMBUSH  115 

Walter. 
It's  nothing  to  be  ashamed  of. 

Margaret. 

But  what's  the  sense  if  I  don't  have  to?  Now  you're 
going  to  make  money  out  of  that  oil  stock,  I  don't  see  why 
I  shouldn't  get  some  benefit  from  it. 

Walter. 
[Evasively.]     The  market  was  weak  today. 

Margaret. 

I  heard  Mr.  Jennison  say,  three  weeks  ago,  that  the  stock 
was  due  for  a  big  rise.  I  was  listening.  [Turns  her  back 
as  she  adds  earnestly.]  George  feels  that  way  too  about 
my  working. 

Walter. 

Mr.  Lithridge? 

Margaret. 

[Making  sounds  which  are  the  equivalent  of  "Yes."] 
Mm-mm. 

Walter. 

What  has  Mr.  Lithridge  to  do  with  it? 

Margaret. 
We're  very  good  friends,  naturally  he's  interested  in  me. 

Walter. 
Are  you  fond  of  him? 


116  AMBUSH 

Margaret. 
You  bet  I  am ! 

Walter. 
How  fine  it  would  be  if 

Margaret. 
If  what? 

Walter. 
Would  you  marry  him  if  he  asked  you  to? 

Margaret. 
Would  I ! 

Walter. 
Do  you  think  he  may  want  to? 

Margaret. 

Wouldn't  be  surprised. 

Walter. 
[Happily.  ]     Really  ? 

Margaret. 

Well,  you  can't  tell.     Not  right  away,  perhaps- 

Walter. 
Why  not? 


AMBUSH  117 

Margaret. 

Well,  it  takes  some  people  longer  to  make  up  their  minds 
than  others.  Anyhow,  you  see,  father,  how  my  giving  up 
work  would  help.  He'd  be  able  to  introduce  me  as  a  girl 
who  lives  at  home  and  whose  father  supports  her — you 
know,  like  the  girls  of  his  own  set. 

Walter. 
Is  that  so  important? 

Margaret. 
Of  course  it  is. 

Walter. 

[Touching  her  hands.]  We'll  see,  dear,  we'll  see.  By 
February  or  March  we'll  know  how  things  stand  with  us. 

Margaret. 
[Doubtfully.]     February — that's  more  than  a  month  off. 

Walter. 

Things  ought  to  change  by  March,  anyhow.  [A  shadow 
crosses  his  face.]      Of  course  it's  only  right 

Margaret. 

What's  only  right? 

Walter. 

I  wanted  to  speak  to  you  about  this,  before.  It's  only 
right,  if  he  wishes  to  marry  you — it's  only  right  that  he 
should  know — that  both  of  you  should  know  everything 
about  each  other. 


118  AMBUSH 

Margaret. 

[Angrily.]      Remember — I'm  to  manage  my  own  affairs. 

Walter. 

[Weakly.]     Yes,   dear,   I'm   sorry.     Some  things  hap- 
pened today  that  worry  me  a  great  deal — I'm  not  myself. 
[Enter  Harriett  from  upstairs.] 

Harriett. 
[To  Margaret.]     I've  laid  your  dress  out. 

Margaret. 

Thanks.  [Hurries  happily  to  the  stairs.]  Wait  till  you 
see  how  I  look,  father.  Then  you'll  be  proud  of  me.  [Exit 
Margaret  upstairs.] 

Harriett. 
How  are  things  today? 

Walter. 

Not  very  good.  [His  mood  changes  entirely.]  I  didn't 
have  the  heart  to  tell  Margaret,  but  there  are  some  ugly 
rumors  going  about  concerning  the  oil  supply.  I  put  up 
the  last  thousand  today. 

Harriett. 
[Affected.]     You  don't  suppose  the  rumors  were  true? 

Walter. 

Seymour  says  they're  circulated  on  purpose,  so  people 
will  sell  and  the  officers  of  the  company  can  buy  up  the 


AMBUSH  119 

stock  cheap.  I  tried  to  see  one  of  the  officers,  but  they 
were  all  too  busy.  That  isn't  what  worries  me — I  had  a 
long  talk  with  Mr.  Preston  just  now — and  I  haven't  got  a 
position. 

Harriett. 

You  mean  he  discharged  you?      [Walter  nods.]     After 
all  these  years! 

Walter. 

[Slowly.]      I've  been  with  that  firm  seventeen  years — 
seventeen  years — think  of  it. 


Harriett. 
And  now  he  discharges  you — the  ungrateful  pig] 

Walter. 
Harriett — don't. 

Harriett. 
Oh — it's  all  right  for  you  to  take  these  things  quietly- 


But  I've  got  red  blood  in  my  veins  and  if  I  had  him  here 
I'd  tell  him  what  I  think  of  him. 


Walter. 

He  isn't  to  be  blamed — not  altogether.  You  see,  I  haven't 
been  doing  my  work  very  well  of  late — that  stock  invest- 
ment has  been  on  my  mind — especially  these  1-last  three 
months  while  it's  been  fluctuating  so  much.  I've  made 
excuses  to  leave  the  office  and  go  around  to  the  broker's. 


120  AMBUSH 

Harriett. 

Well,  say  you  have?  You've  been  with  them  seventeen 
years 

Walter. 

There's  no  sentiment  in  business,  Harriett — not  much 
anyhow.  I've  made  one  or  two  mistakes  on  the  books.  They 
warned  me  the  first  time  it  occurred,  but  my  mind's  been 
so  agitated,  and  I  made  another. 

Harriett. 
What'll  you  do  now? 

Walter. 

Look  for  something  else.  Mr.  Preston  offered  me  an  ex- 
cellent recommendation. 

Harriett. 
That  was  nice  of  him ! 


Walter. 
So  I  ought  to  get  something  before  long- 

H  ARR  I  ETT. 


Well  I  hope  so — I  suppose  you  know  the  rent's  due 
today  ? 

Walter. 

It's  lucky  Seymour  bought  the  house,  isn't  it?  He'll 
understand  our  position  and  be  patient.  [In  a  low,  worried 
tone.]  Tell  me,  dear,  h-has  Margaret  mentioned  anything 
to  you  about  giving  up  work? 


AMBUSH  121 

Harriett. 
She's  talked  about  it  a  lot  lately. 

Walter. 
Of  course  you  told  her  to  keep  on? 

Harriett. 

No,  I  didn't.  I  don't  altogether  disagree  with  her.  A 
girl  has  to  think  of  her  future. 

Walter. 

But — s-surely  her  working  doesn't  endanger  her  future? 
Besides,  we  shall  need  all  the  money  we  can  scrape  to- 
gether until  the  Wall  Street  situation  improves.  [The 
bell  rings.]  I'll  open.  [Goes  to  door,  and  opens  it.  Enter 
Seymour  and  Mrs.  Jennison.] 

Seymour. 
Well,  what '11  we  do  now? 

Walter. 
Has — has  anything  happened? 

Seymour. 

[Thunderously.]  Happened!  [To  Mrs.  Jennison.] 
Did  you  hear  him?     He  asked  me  if  anything's  happened! 

Walter. 
[Hoarsely.]     The  company ? 


122  AMBUSH 

Seymour. 

Damn  the  company!  They're  liars  and  robbers!  I'll 
bring  an  action  against  them — just  you  see  if  I  don't! 
There  must  be  some  way  of  getting  back  what's  been  stolen 
from  you! 

Walter. 
Then  the  rumors  were  true? 

Seymour. 

Don't  you  know?  Good  God,  man,  where  have  you 
been? 

Walter. 

The  last  quotation  I  saw  was  at  two  o'clock.  When  I 
was  leaving,  Mr.  Preston  called  me  into  his  office  to — for 
a  private  talk.  [Chokingly.]  It  filled  my  thoughts  so,  I 
didn't  have  a  chance 

Seymour. 

That  last  hour  is  the  one  that  did  it.  Magnificus  Oil 
went  to  Hell !  I'm  ruined !  I'll  be  lucky  if  I  get  a  thousand 
dollars  out  of  it!  You're  ruined — they  stole  your  money 
just  the  way  they  stole  mine! 

[A  low  wail  breaks  from  Harriett,  and  she  sinks 
into  a  chair.  Walter  controls  his  own  grief 
and  goes  to  her.] 

Walter. 
It's  all  right,  Harriett — don't  take  it  so  hard. 


AMBUSH  123 

Seymour. 

It  ain't  as  bad  for  him  as  it  is  for  me — he's  got  a  regular 
job  to  fall  back  on. 

Walter. 
[Involuntarily.]     A  job! 

Seymour. 

Haven't  you?  But  look  at  me — I've  got  nothing!  [Some- 
thing of  the  old  bluster  returns,  and  he  speaks  in  the  manner 
of  a  man  imparting  a  great  secret.]  Of  course,  a  proposi- 
tion's been  put  to  me — hundreds  of  thousands  involved  in 
it 

Harriett. 

Keep  quiet,  Seymour  Jennison.  You're  not  fit  to  talk 
to  decent  people. 


Harriett ! 


Walter. 


Harriett. 


You  come  around  here,  telling  people  to  invest  in  that 
rotten  company  of  yours — telling  them  how  much  money 
they're  going  to  make  and  how  safe  it  is.  Why  don't  they 
make  a  law  forcing  people  like  you  to  keep  quiet  and  let 
other  folks  alone?    If  I  had  anything  to  say 

Walter. 
Harriett ! 


124  AMBUSH 

Harriett. 

Oh,  you  can  be  quiet  if  you  want  to,  but  I'll  tell  him  what 
I  think  of  him  to  his  face ! 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

You  have  no  right  to  talk  that  way,  Harriett.  Seymour 
was  perfectly  honest  and  sincere,  and  if  he  made  a  mis- 
take— well,  he's  paying  for  it. 

Harriett. 
Does  his  losing  money  help  us? 


W 


ALTER. 


[Sternly.]  Harriett,  you  must  not  say  these  things. 
[To  the  others.]  I'm  sorry  Harriett  spoke  like  that.  She'll 
be  sorry  too,  when  her  excitement  subsides.  You  see,  all 
this  is  v-very  hard  on  us.  [Gulps.]  We  wanted  money  so 
badly,  and 

Seymour. 

You  were  right — I'll  grant  you  that.  You  didn't  want 
to  go  in  at  first.  You  must  'a'  had  an  instinct  about  it. 
What  made  you  hesitate? 

Walter. 

My  nature,  I  guess.  I'm — I'm  inclined  to  be  conserva- 
tive in  everything.  But  I  was  just  going  to  explain  why 
this  is  such  a  blow  to  us.  The  job  Seymour  was  talking 
about — well,  I  haven't  got  it. 

Seymour. 
Haven't  got  it ! 


AMBUSH  125 

Walter. 

[Smiling  bravely.]      I'm  not  so  good  at  my  work  as  I 
used  to  be. 


Seymour, 


Hm,  that's  too  bad. 


Mrs.   Jennison. 

[Earnestly.]      I'm  awfully  sorry,  Walter. 

Seymour. 

[With  forced  cheerfulness.]  Of  course  that  won't  make 
any  difference?  Between  us,  I  mean.  [Walter  is  puzzled. 
Harriett  looks  up.]     Of  course  you  know  what  day  this  is? 

Walter. 
December  eighteenth — one  week  from  Christmas. 

Seymour. 
Christmas — hah ! 

Walter. 

[As  he  comprehends.]  Wait  a  moment — I  know  what 
you  mean. 

Seymour. 

[Cheerfully.]  'Course  you  do.  The  rent  on  this  house 
is  due  today.     It'll  certainly  come  in  handy. 

Walter. 
I — I  haven't  got  it,  Seymour. 


126  AMBUSH 

Seymour. 
Haven't  got  it? 

Walter. 
I  have  a  little,  but  not  all  of  it. 

Seymour. 
[Loudly.]     But  these  houses  are  the  only  things  I  own! 

Walter. 
[Smiling.]     You're  richer  than  I  am. 

Seymour. 

I  could  get  tenants  at  twice  the  rent  you  pay.  Interest 
on  one  of  the  mortgages  is  due  the  first  of  the  year.  How 
do  you  expect  me  to  pay  if  you  don't? 

Walter. 

I  will,  Seymour.     Only  have  patience — — 

Seymour. 
I  don't  want  to  be  harsh  with  you,  Walter 

Harriett. 

I  can't  listen  to  another  word  from  that  man !  Let  me 
know  when  he's  gone.  [Exits  into  the  kitchen.  She  slams 
the  door  behind  her.] 

Seymour. 

[Seeing  an  excuse  for  harshness.]  Seeing  that  your  wife 
doesn't  mince  words,  Walter,  I  won't  either.     If  you  don't 


AMBUSH  127 

pay  as  you're  supposed  to,  I'll  have  to  get  other  tenants. 
[Seymour  says  briskly  to  Mrs.  Jennison:]  I've  got  to 
look  into  that  new  proposition.     Let's  go  along. 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

You  go  ahead,  Seymour.  I  want  just  a  word  with 
Walter. 

Seymour. 

What  about? 

Mrs.   Jennison. 
Oh,  just  neighborly  talk.    I  won't  be  long. 

Seymour. 

Tell  him  I'm  in  earnest  about  what  I  said.  I've  lost 
money  enough  in  one  thing — I  can't  take  chances  on  an- 
other. [About  to  go.]  And  remember,  Julia,  this  new 
proposition  might  mean  big  money  and  I  need  your  advice. 

[Exit  Seymour,  rear.  The  moment  he  goes,  Mrs. 
Jennison's  manner  changes.  Always  colorless 
in  his  presence,  she  now  shows  a  stronger  per- 
sonality than  one  would  guess  she  possesses. 
She  becomes  tender,  sympathetic,  intelligent.] 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

I'm  awfully  sorry  things  happened  like  this,  Walter.  I 
wanted  to  tell  you  not  to  go  in  with  Seymour,  but  I  was 
afraid  it  would  be  disloyal. 

Walter. 

Not  to  go  in !     Did  you  know  anything  about  it  ? 


128  AMBUSH 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

Not  a  thing!  It's  only  this:  some  people  seem  kind  of 
marked  to  go  through  life  without  success — have  you  ever 
noticed  that?     I'm  afraid  Seymour's  that  kind. 

Walter. 
[Surprised,  but  polite.]      I  hope  not. 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

This  sounds  as  if  I  was  finding  fault,  but  I'm  not.  Sey- 
mour means  so  well  and  I  understand  him  and  love  him. 


Walter. 
Of  course  you  do. 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

But  sometimes Were  you  ever  very  tired,  Walter, 

and  knew  that  you  had  to  keep  going?  So  tired  that  just  to 
hold  your  head  up  hurt  the  back  of  your  neck?  That's 
how  I  am.  I  want  to  rest — just  to  stop  everything  and 
rest  a  long,  long  time.  [As  he  is  about  to  speak.]  Oh, 
I'm  not  tired  of  keeping  house  and  marketing  and  mending 
socks — I'm  tired  of  having  to  be  ambitious.  I  knew  you 
were  too — that's  why  I  stopped  to  talk  to  you.  I  thought 
it  might  help  you  to  know  I  understood,  and  I  thought  it 
might  help  me  if  you  understood. 

Walter. 
How  did  you  know  it  was  that  way  with  me? 


AMBUSH  129 

Mrs.    Je  n  n  iso  n. 

I  saw  it  in  lots  of  things.  I  used  to  notice  how  contented 
you  were  to  let  things  slide  along,  and  the  pride  you  took 
in  simply  being  decent. 

Walter. 
You  saw  that  too! 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

I'm  like  that.  At  least,  I  used  to  be.  But  I  got  so  tired 
of  having  Seymour  tell  me  I  was  old-fashioned  that  I 
learned  to  hide  it. 

Walter. 

[With  fresh  enthusiasm.]  There's  something  fine  about 
having  principles,  Julia. 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

If  you  can  keep  them,  Walter.  [She  says  this  with  great 
conviction  and  he  does  not  say  what  he  is  about  to.  Instead, 
he  slowly  closes  his  mouth.] 

Walter. 
[After  a  moment.]     It's  hard  sometimes. 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

It's  a  curse  to  be  born  like  this — we  take  things  so  hard 
that  other  people  brush  aside.  Because  sometimes  you  can't 
keep  them.  Sometimes  Fate  seems  to  close  in  on  you  from 
every  side — to  get  you  into  an  ambush — and  you've  got  to 
give  up.  Don't  tell  Seymour  about  this  conversation,  he'd 
think  I  was  crazy.    [There  is  a  trace  of  bitterness  in  her 


180  AMBUSH 

next  speech.]  You  know  what's  going  to  happen  now?  I'll 
find  Seymour  with  a  lot  of  papers  in  front  of  him,  covered 
with  figures,  and  he'll  tell  me  about  the  millions  of  dollars 
he's  going  to  make  in  some  new  scheme  or  other.  He  won't 
tell  me  about  it  because  he  wants  my  advice — he'll  talk  in 
order  to  convince  himself.    And  he'll  be  convinced. 

Walter. 

An  ambush ! 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

Isn't  that  what  it  is?  The  other  forces — the  things 
we're  fighting  against — come  in  on  you  like  this,  and  this, 
until  there's  no  way  to  turn. 

[He  nods  thoughtfully,  as  Margaret  comes  down- 
stairs. She  is  clad  in  evening  dress  and  carries 
a  fur  coat.] 

Margaret. 

Hello,  Mrs.  Jennison.  [To  Walter,  referring  to  her 
dress.]  Now  you  see  why  I  couldn't  travel  in  the  tube? 
[To  Mrs.  Jennison.]  Have  you  leased  that  apartment 
yet  in  New  York? 

Mrs.   Jennison. 
I  never  expected  to. 

Margaret. 

[Laying  her  coat  over  a  chair.]  You  ought  to,  if 
you  can.  A  person's  foolish  to  stay  here  if  they  don't 
have  to. 


AMBUSH  181 

Mrs,   Jennison. 

Margaret,  dear.  [Margaret,  who  is  smoothing  her  fur 
coat,  looks  up.]  We  have  had  a  little  misfortune.  Your 
father  has  suffered  too. 

Margaret. 

[Darkly.]     The  oil  company? 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

The  stock  is  practically  worthless.  Your  father  doesn't 
mind  so  much  for  himself,  but  he's  unhappy  on  account  of 
your  mother  and  you.  Put  your  arms  around  his  neck  and 
tell  him  you  believe  in  him,  anyhow. 

Margaret. 

[Coldly.]     What's  the  sense  of  that? 

Walter. 

Margaret  isn't  the  demonstrative  kind,  Julia.  It's  all 
right,  though. 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

[To  Margaret.]  Do  it,  then,  when  you're  alone. 
[Holds  out  her  hand,  Walter  takes  it  feelingly.]  I'll  get 
Seymour  to  come  over  after  supper.     Good  luck! 

Walter. 

[Preceding  her  to  the  door.]  Good  luck  to  you!  [Mrs. 
Jennison  goes  out.]     A  fine  woman,  Mrs.  Jennison. 

Margaret. 

[Coldly.]  I  suppose  so.  Then  it's  settled — about  the 
stock? 


132  AMBUSH 

Walter. 

you'7ooakraiditiS'      [L°°ksatheradmi™ffh-]     How  sweet 

Margaret. 
Where's  mother? 

Walter. 

Getting  supper,  I  suppose.  I'm  sorry  you're  not  staying 
home.  [Margaret  sits  on  arm  of  rocker  and  he  goes  to 
her.]     Margaret! 

Margaret. 
[In  a  hard  tone.]     What? 

Walter. 

!„<??  y0U~d°  ^  dCSPiSe  me  f°r~for  not  havi"S  «°°d 

Margaret. 
It's  funny  the  way  some  men  manage  to  succeed. 

Walter. 
I  don't  want  you  to  despise  me,  dear. 

Margaret. 

[Squirming    away.]       Please    don't    touch    me.      You'll 
muss  my  clothes ! 

[Harriett  at  kitchen  door.] 

Harriett. 
Has  he  gone? 


AMBUSH  133 

Walter. 
S-Seymour?     Yes,  he's  gone. 

Harriett. 
The  loud-mouthed  fool!    Supper'll  be  ready  soon. 
[A  ring  at  the  bell.] 

George. 

[Outside.]     Hello !  Hello !  Margie ! 

Margaret. 

That's  George.  [Goes  to  door  and  opens  it,  sheltering 
herself  behind  it.  Enter  George  Lithridge.  He  is  a  good- 
looking,  easy-mannered,  cheerful  man  of  forty.  He  is 
seldom  without  a  smile.] 

Quick!  We'll  all  take  cold.  [He  enters,  and  she  shuts 
door.]     You  know  mother. 

George. 

Certainly  do.     [They  shake  hands.]     How's  mother? 

Harriett. 
Very  well,  thanks. 

George. 
[Advancing  to  Walter.]     And  father? 

Walter. 
[As  they  shake  hands.]      How  do  you  do? 


134  AMBUSH 

George. 

[Laughs.]  I  say,  Margie,  how  far  is  this  house  from 
the  North  Pole? 

Walter. 

[Apologetically.]     It  is  rather  windy,  isn't  it? 

George. 

I'll  say  it  is!  The  chauff's  nearly  frozen.  Lucky  it's 
a  limousine. 

[Harriett  and  Margaret  are  at  right,  talking 
animatedly  in  whispers.] 

Walter. 
Margaret  tells  me  you're  going  to  dine  in  New  York. 

George. 

Yes,  got  a  table  engaged,  and  all  that.  I  say,  Margie, 
that  I've  got  a  table  engaged.  Wouldn't  be  a  bad  idea  to 
get  started. 

Margaret. 

[Soberly.]  Do  you  mind  if  we're  a  few  minutes  late, 
George?  We're  only  fifteen  minutes  from  the  ferry. 
There's  something  I  want  to  talk  to  you  about. 

George. 

Before  we  go?  [She  nods.]  It's  got  to  be  important — 
this  trip  gave  me  an  appetite. 


AMBUSH  185 


Margaret. 

[Leading  the  way,  George  following.]     Just  come  into 
the  pantry  a  moment. 

George. 

The  pantry!     [As  he  follows  her  off.]     Maybe  you'll 
give  me  a  cookie  to  keep  me  going? 

[Exeunt  Margaret  and  George  into  kitchen.] 


Harriett. 

Margaret  is  awfully  unhappy. 

Walter. 
About  the — m-money? 

Harriett. 
She  counted  on  it  so  much. 

Walter. 
If  there  were  only  something  I  could  do ! 

Harriett. 

[Watching  him  narrowly  as  she  speaks.]     She  believes 
Mr.  Lithridge  might  help  you. 

Walter. 

Help  me!     You  don't  mean  he'd  lend  me  money?     I 
wouldn't  take  it. 


136  AMBUSH 

Harriett. 

[Dryly.]  Beggars  can't  be  choosers.  Margaret's  a  good 
girl  to  think  about  it.  But  it  isn't  lending  you  money  so 
much  as  it's  a  job.  She  just  told  me  that  maybe  he'd  offer 
you  something  in  his  place. 

Walter. 
In  his  business? 

Harriett. 
Yes. 

Walter. 

How  does  he  know  of  our  misfortune? 

Harriett. 

He  doesn't.  [Glances  at  kitchen  door.]  Maybe  he  does 
now.     Margaret  was  going  to  tell  him. 

Walter. 

[Embarrassed.]  But  that's  so — so  much  like  asking  f-for 
help. 

Harriett. 

[Impatiently.]  Did  anything  decent  ever  happen  to  you 
that  you  didn't  find  something  the  matter  with  it?  [Bell 
rings;    she  cries  impatiently.]      Who  is   that,   I   wonder? 

[She  goes  to  the  door,  leaving  Walter  deep  in  thought. 

Enter  Harry,  his  coat  collar  turned  up.  His 
hair  is  disheveled  and  it  is  easy  to  see  that  he 
has  been  drinking.] 


AMBUSH  137 

Harry. 

Good  evenin'.  Hello,  Mr.  Nichols.  [Comes  down  un- 
steadily.]    Margaret  home? 

Walter. 
Yes,  she's  home. 

Harriett. 

[Going  toward  kitchen.]  I'll  just  go  and  see  what  I 
can  do.     [Exit  Harriett  into  kitchen.] 

Harry. 

What's  Margaret  doing  this  evening? 

Walter. 

She's  going  to  New  York. 

Harry. 

That's  why  there's  a  limousine  in  front  of  the  house,  hey  ? 

Walter. 
Yes.     Have  you  been  drinking,  Harry? 

Harry. 

[Smiling  broadly.]  Only  one  or  two.  Friend  o'  mine's 
got  a  lot  of  it. 

Walter. 

Would  you  think  me  rude,  Harry,  if  I  asked  you  not  to 
stay?  Something  of  great  importance  to  us  is  happening 
just  now. 


138  AMBUSH 

Harry. 

[Shrewdly.]     'Bout  Margaret? 

Walter. 
It  concerns  all  of  us. 

Harry. 

[Sneering.]     So  you're  like  that  too,  now!     [Laughs.] 

Walter. 
I  don't  understand  you. 

Harry. 

You  don't  want  her  swell  friends  to  see  me;  is  that  it? 
Well,  don't  be  afraid  I'll  spoil  anything 

Walter. 
You've  been  drinking  more  than  is  good  for  you. 

Harry. 

Don't  worry  about  me — I  can  take  care  of  myself. 
[Laughs,  as  door  opens.]  Hah!  It's  too  late  now,  any- 
how. 

George. 

Good  cake  this 

[Enter  Margaret  and  George  from  the  kitchen. 
George  is  munching  a  cake.] 

Don't  remember  when  I've  enjoyed  anything  more. 


AMBUSH  139 

Margaret. 
[To  Harry.]     Mother  told  me  you  were  here. 

Harry. 

Yes ,  I'm  here. 

Walter. 
This  is  Mr.  Lithridge — Mr.  Gleason. 

Harry. 

[With  a  smile  in  the  corner  of  his  mouth.]     "Lithridge"? 

Ge  or  ge. 

That's  it.  [Shakes  hands  affably.]  How  d'ye  do? 
[Harry  laughs.]  Something  funny  about  me?  [Surveys 
himself.] 

Margaret. 

[In  a  voice  that  combines  scorn  and  hate.]     He's  drunk. 

Harry. 

[Angrily.]  I  am  not  drunk.  And  don't  think  I'm  going 
right  away  either,  'cause  I'm  not. 

George. 

Evidently  a  relation. 

Margaret. 

No,  he's  not.  [To  Harry.]  Stay  if  you  want  to,  but 
don't  interfere.  [To  Walter.]  Father,  George  and  I 
have  been  talking  over  a  certain  matter  and  George  has 
something  to  say  to  you. 


140  AMBUSH 

George. 

Mr.  Nichols,  your  wife  and  daughter  tell  me  you've  had 
a  hard  knock  in  the  market. 

Walter. 
[Embarrassed.]      I  have — rather. 

George. 

So've  I.  Only,  I  guess  I  can  stand  it  better  than  some 
people.  They  also  tell  me  you've  lost  a  job  you  held  for  a 
long  time. 

Walter. 
Seventeen  years. 

George. 

Just  so!  Now,  I've  got  a  pretty  good-sized  business  in 
New  York.  Don't  think  I'm  boasting — believe  me,  I've 
got  nothin'  to  boast  about.  The  business  was  left  to  me — 
it  ain't  my  fault  that  it's  big.  But  most  of  the  clerks  are 
getting  old  and  little  by  little  they're  being  retired.  I 
don't  retire  'em — I've  got  people  to  look  after  all  that.  All 
I  do  is  read  letters  and  sign  checks  and  say  "yes"  whenever 
anybody  asks  me  a  question.  [Laughs.]  What  would  you 
say  to  taking  a  job  as  clerk  in  my  business?  Mrs.  Nichols 
just  told  me  how  much  you  used  to  get,  and  I'll  see  to  it 
that  you  get  twenty  dollars  a  week  more. 

Walter. 

Mr.  Lithridge,  this  is  more  than  I'd  hoped  for 

George. 

Think  it  over — there's  no  hurry.  Margie  can  ring  me 
up  in  the  morning,  if  you  like,  and  tell  me  what  you've  de- 


AMBUSH  141 

cided  on.  [Margaret  makes  him  a  sign.]  What?  All 
right.  [To  Walter,  laughing.]  I'm  ordered  out.  I'll 
wait  in  the  car.  Don't  be  long.  [To  Walter.]  Good 
night.     [Exits,  rear.] 

Margaret. 

What  are  you  going  to  do,  father? 

Walter. 
I  shall  accept,  of  course.     It  seems  a  splendid  offer. 

Margaret. 

That's  sensible.  And  here,  father — here  is  enough 
money  to  pay  the  rent  for  the  house.  [Gives  him  some 
bills.] 

Walter. 
No!     No!     I  can't  take  it. 

Margaret. 

Don't  be  foolish.  It's  a  loan,  and  George  has  such  heaps 
of  money  it  doesn't  make  any  difference  to  him. 

Walter. 

I  can't  take  it. 

Margaret. 

[Irritably.]  I'll  leave  it  here.  You  can  do  as  you  please. 
[Lays  money  on  the  desk.] 

Harry. 

Well,  I'll  be  damned!     [They  look  at  him.] 


142  AMBUSH 

Walter. 

You  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  yourself,  coming  here  in 
this  condition. 

Harry. 

[Ugly.]  Is  that  so?  Well,  I  know  what  I'm  doing, 
don't  you  fear.  Why  do  you  suppose  that  fellow  is  doing 
all  this? 

[Margaret  is  about  to  protest.] 

Do  you  suppose  there's  nothing  more  between  them  than 
friendship  ? 

Walter. 
You're  in  no  fit  condition 


Harry. 

Ain't  I?  Well,  I'll  leave  it  to  anybody.  Here's  a  mar- 
ried man  coming  to  see  Margaret,  lending  her  father  money, 
giving  him  a  job 

Walter. 
A  married  man! 

Margaret. 
Can't  you  see  he's  drunk? 

Harry. 

[Cries  loudly.]  Oh!  I  know  him!  The  first  job  I 
ever  had,  I  used  to  see  him.  He's  got  a  wife  and  two  or 
three  kids.     Find  out  for  yourself. 


AMBUSH  143 

Walter. 
[Falteringly,  to  Margaret.]     W-what  he  says  isn't  true? 

Margaret. 
[Defiantly.]     Well,  what  if  it  is? 

Walter. 
You — you  knew  it  all  the  time? 

Margaret. 
I  knew  he  was  married  before  I  met  him! 

Walter.  y 

But  only  a  little  while  ago  you  gave  me  to  understand — 
here,  in  this  v-very  room — that  you  thought  he  might 
marry  you ! 

Margaret. 

Well,  I  had  to  tell  you  something,  didn't  I  ? 

Walter. 

But [Suddenly  breaks  out.]      I  can't  believe  it!     I 

won't ! 

Margaret. 

[Coolly.]     Can't  believe  what? 

Walter. 
After  that  other  time  you  promised 


Margaret, 


Yes,  and  I  meant  it. 


144                                AMBUSH 
Walter. 
You  meant  it !    Well,  then,  if  you  meant  it 

Margaret. 

[Indicating  Harry.]  Do  we  have  to  talk  about  this  in 
front  of  him? 

Walter. 

[Weakly.]  I  don't  understand  any  of  it!  All  I  know 
is  that  everything — everything — is  going  to  pieces! 

Margaret. 

Why  wouldn't  it,  when  a  man  thinks  more  of  fine  ideas 
than  he  does  of  supporting  his  family? 

Walter. 

Stop  it!  Stop  it!  You're  just  that  kind  of  a  woman! 
Forget  that  I  said  that — I  didn't  mean  it !  [Again  furious, 
but  no  longer  with  Margaret.]  It's  all  that  other  man's 
fault — that  Alan  Kraigne [Remembering  Harry's  pres- 
ence, he  looks  at  him  open-mouthed.] 

Margaret. 

[Bitterly.]  He's  heard  enough  to  understand.  You 
might  just  as  well  go  on.  But  what's  Alan  got  to  do  with 
all  this,  I'd  like  to  know? 

Walter. 

If  he  hadn't  deceived  you — made  promises  and  then  lied 
about  them — none  of  this  would  have  happened. 


AMBUSH  145 

Margaret. 

i 

He  didn't  lie  to  me. 

Walter. 
He  promised  to  marry  you. 

Margaret. 

He  did  nothing  of  the  kind.  Oh,  the  time  has  come  for 
a  show-down  and  you  might  as  well  know  the  truth. 

Walter. 
The  truth!     The  truth! 

Margaret. 

That  I  belonged  to  somebody  else  before  he  met  me. 

[Harry  is  at  the  door.    Her  eyes,  narrow  and  full 
of  hatred,  are  upon  him.    She  points  to  him.] 

Him! 

[Walter  wheels  about.'] 

Harry. 

You're  crazy! 

Margaret. 

Why  do  you  suppose  he  was  so  mad  when  I  went  around 
with  Alan?  Why  do  you  suppose  he  told  you  about  George 
being  married — though  I  suppose  you'd  have  found  that 
out  if  you  were  working  for  him?  But  I  don't  care  any 
more  what  you  find  out — if  all  this  makes  you  unhappy,  it's 
your  own  fault. 


146  AMBUSH 

Walter. 
You  will  have  to  marry  him. 

Margaret. 
Who? 

[Walter  is  pointing  at  Harry.] 
Harry? 

Walter. 
You'll  have  to  marry  him! 

Margaret. 
Watch  me! 

Harry. 

If  she'll  do  it,  I'm  ready. 

Margaret. 
Get  out! 

Harry. 
I'll  forget  whatever's  happened  since — I'll  marry  her. 

Margaret. 
Oh,  damn  it,  get  out  of  here! 

[Harry    starts    to   go,    and    completes    his    exit 
while  she  is  speaking  to  her  father.] 

We  might  just  as  well  have  this  whole  thing  out. 

[Harry  disappears.] 

Only,  hurry  up,  because  I  hate  to  keep  George  waiting. 


AMBUSH  147 

Walter. 
Have  you  no  shame? 

Margaret. 

[Putting  on  her  coat.]  I'm  not  going  to  discuss  that. 
[He  begs  her  mutely  to  remain.] 

If  I  wanted  to,  I  could  leave  here  tonight  and  never 
come  back.  Don't  you  suppose  I  could  live  in  New  York 
if  I  wanted  to? 

Walter. 
Not — not  if  his  wife  knew  about  it ! 

Margaret. 

She  does  know.  Oh,  not  who  I  am — George  is  too  much 
of  a  gentleman  to  let  her  learn  my  name.  But  they  haven't 
lived  together  for  a  year.  Now  listen!  I'd  rather  stay 
here — it  looks  better,  and  it'll  be  easier  some  day  when  I 
want  to  get  married.  Besides,  I'm  fond  of  mother  and  you. 
But  if  I  do  stay,  I'll  live  as  I  please  and  I  won't  have 
questions  and  criticisms. 

Walter. 
Not  so  loud!     We're  forgetting  your  mother. 

Margaret. 

You  see  this  coat?  Well,  you  may  as  well  know  that 
I've  got  lots  of  things  upstairs  you've  never  seen.  After 
this  I'll  wear  them. 

Walter. 
From — from  Mr.  Lithridge? 


148  AMBUSH 

Margaret. 

[Hurt.]  You  don't  suppose  I'd  accept  things  from  any- 
one else  ?  What  kind  of  a  girl  do  you  think  I  am  ?  George 
is  so  good-natured,  he'd  wait  all  night  for  his  dinner  if 
I  wanted  him  to.  But  now  I  must  go.  [Points  to  desk.] 
There's  the  money  for  the  house,  if  you  want  to  use  it. 
And  remember  about  the  job. 

[She  is  almost  at  the  door,   wrapping  the  coat 
closely  about  her,  when  Walter  breaks  out.] 

Walter. 

[Wildly.]  I  won't  have  it!  I  won't!  I'll  go  out  there 
and  threaten  him!  I'll  make  him  understand!  [Walter 
plunges  toward  the  door.] 

Margaret. 
[Calls  loudly.]     Mother! 

Walter. 
Margaret!     You  mustn't  let  her  know. 

Margaret. 

[Calls  as  before.]     Mother! 
[Harriett  appears.] 

Margaret. 
Father  wants  to  make  trouble  with  George — stop  him. 

Harriett. 
What  were  you  going  to  do  just  now? 


AMBUSH  149 

Walter. 

Nothing,  dear.  Margaret  and  I  had  a  little  misunder- 
standing, but  it's  all  right. 

Harriett. 

[Sarcastically.]  Yes,  it  looks  as  if  it  was  all  right.  Are 
you  going  to  take  the  job? 

[Margaret    goes    out    while    they    are    talking. 
Walter  starts  as  door  closes.] 
Are  you  going  to  take  the  job? 

Walter. 

With  Mr.  Lithridge?  [Catching  at  a  straw.]  That's 
what  I  was — what  I  was  going  to  talk  to  him  about.  It 
isn't  in  my  line. 

Harriett. 
You'd  better.    If  you  don't,  things'll  be  very  unpleasant. 

Walter. 
Oh,  I'll  find  something  else. 

Harriett. 
And  there's  the  rent. 

Walter. 

If  the  worst  comes  to  the  worst,  we'll  move. 

Harriett. 
To  a  smaller  place? 


150  AMBUSH 

Walter. 

There  are  some  apartments  going  up  in  Bergen  that 
would  be  just  the  thing — just  the  thing  for  us.  You'd 
have  no  stairs  to  climb 

Harriett. 

Margaret  won't  move  to  a  smaller  place.  If  you  ask  her 
to  do  that  she'll  live  in  New  York.  And  if  she  goes — 
I'll  go  with  her. 

Walter. 
You'll  do  what? 

Harriett. 
I  know  all  about  everything.    I've  known  it  all  along. 

Walter. 
About  what? 

Harriett. 
About  Margaret. 

Walter. 
You — what  do  you  mean? 

Harriett. 

I  know  all  the  things  you  know.  If  I  didn't,  she 
mightn't  be  living  with  us  now.  That  day  I  came  back  after 
riding  with  the  Jennisons,  she  told  me  how  you'd  acted 
about  Alan  Kraigne  and  it  was  all  I  could  do  to  keep  her 
from  leaving  us. 


AMBUSH  151 

Walter. 
[Wildly.]  You're  a  wicked  woman! 

Harriett. 

Why?  For  not  driving  her  away?  All  these  months 
I've  had  to  fight  and  fight  in  order  to  keep  her  here. 

Walter. 
You  knew — you  knew  about  everything? 

Harriett. 

That  bracelet — do  you  suppose  I  ever  thought  it  was 
imitation?  Margaret  showed  it  to  me  the  day  she  got  it. 
[With  deep  feeling.]  Oh,  Walter,  it  isn't  pleasant  for  a 
mother  to  know  things  like  that  are  going  on,  but  it  don't 
do  any  good  to  quarrel  all  the  time.  I  was  the  one  who 
said  it  was  imitation,  because  I  saw  there'd  be  trouble  if  I 
didn't. 

Walter. 

[Momentarily  relieved.]  Oh,  you  knew  about  the  brace- 
let? [Flaring  up.]  Do  you  know  that  Lithridge  is  a 
married  man? 

Harriett. 

She  never  told  me  that.  I  didn't  ask  her.  But  I'm  not 
surprised. 

Walter. 

You  helped  her  lie  to  me!  What's  to  become  of  her 
now? 


152  AMBUSH 

Harriett. 

That  depends  upon  us,  I  guess.  If  we  keep  her  here  and 
make  the  best  of  it,  things  may  turn  out  all  right.  The 
question  for  us  now  is:     what  are  we  going  to  do? 

Walter. 

Whatever  I  say!  And  you'll  both  stay  here  and  listen 
to  me. 

Harriett. 

How  are  you  going  to  prevent  Margaret  from  going  to 
New  York  if  she  wants  to? 

Walter. 

Let  her  go  then!  She'll  continue  her  shameless  life 
wherever  she  is — but  you  won't  go. 

Harriett. 

Don't  you  know  that  if  she  goes  it's  the  very  time  she'll 
need  me  most  ?  No,  Walter,  the  only  thing  for  you  to  do  is 
to  swallow  that  pride  of  yours  and  take  the  job  Mr.  Lith- 
ridge  offers  you. 

Walter. 

Accept  help  f-f rom  him !    I  won't !    No !    No !    I  won't ! 

[A  ring  at  the  bell.     Harriett  is  alarmed.] 
Maybe  she's  forgotten  something.    Now  we'll  see ! 

Harriett. 

I  warn  you;  I  meant  what  I  said! 

[He  looks  at  her,  and  sees  she  is  in  earnest. 
[Seymour  Jennison  and  his  wife  enter.] 

Seymour. 

Julia  persuaded  me  to  come  and  make  friends.  How 
about  it,  Harriett? 


AMBUSH  153 

Harriett. 
Shut  the  door. 

Seymour. 

We'll  let  bygones  be  bygones — that's  my  nature.  [Offers 
his  hand  to  Harriett.] 

Harriett. 

[Shaking  his  hand.]  All  right,  Seymour.  I'd  ask  you 
two  to  supper,  but  there  isn't  enough  in  the  house. 

Mrs.   Jennison. 
We've  had  it,  thanks. 

Seymour. 

This  is  a  terrible  world.  Margaret  passed  our  house  a 
few  minutes  ago  in  a  limousine  with  a  New  York  license, 
and  do  you  know  who  the  chauffeur  was  ?  Frank,  the  boy  J 
used  to  have!  [Collapses  in  a  chair.]  Think  of  it!  He 
lives  in  New  York  and  J  don't.  [Shakes  his  head  gloomily, 
then  says  to  Walter:]     Have  you  decided  on  anything? 

Harriett. 

Walter's  been  offered  a  very  good  job;  we  were  talking 
about  it  when  you  came  in. 

Seymour. 

[Wide-eyed.]  That  so?  Pretty  quick  work,  isn't  it? 
I've  got  something  too — looks  big.  If  that's  so,  I  suppose  I 
can  expect  my  rent  before  long? 


154  AMBUSH 

Walter. 
[Dully.]     Rent? 

Seymour. 
Sure — for  the  house. 

Walter. 

[Wavers  a  moment.]     Oh !     [Walter  takes  a  step  toward 
the  desk,  then  gulps  hard.] 

Seymour. 

What's  the  matter,  Walter?    You  ain't  sick,  are  you? 

Mrs.   Jennison. 
What  is  it,  Walter? 

Walter. 
It's  nothing — nothing.     I — I'm  all  right  now. 

Seymour. 

It's  that  damn  oil  company — they're  responsible  for  it 
all! 

Walter. 

Here's  —  here's     the     money,     Seymour  —  the      exact 
amount 

Seymour. 

[Going  to  him.]     Well!     [Takes  the  money.]     Now  tell 
us  about  the  job,  Walter.     Is  it  a  good  one? 


AMBUSH  155 

Harriett. 

Better  than  the  old  one — more  money  and  a  chance  for 
advancement.  [At  kitchen  door.]  I've  got  to  attend  to 
supper.  Come  in  the  kitchen  and  I'll  tell  you  more.  [Har- 
riett goes  into  the  kitchen.] 

Seymour. 

Coming,  Julia?  [Mrs.  Jennison  makes  no  reply,  and 
Seymour  goes  out.] 

Walter. 

[Raising  his  head  slightly.]  They  come  in  on  you  like 
this,  and  this,  until  there's  no  way  to  turn.  You  and  I, 
Julia — if  we'd  married,  we'd  'a'  done  something  of  use  in 
the  world. 

Mrs.   Jennison. 
Hush,  Walter,  I  don't  understand  you. 

Walter. 

Everything  I  stood  for — everything  I  lived  for — every- 
thing God  put  me  on  this  earth  for — turns  out  wrong. 
What  can  I  do  now? 

Mrs.   Jennison. 

Whatever  has  happened,  you  must  go  on  just  the  same. 

Walter. 
Why?     [His  voice  louder.]     Why?    Why? 

CURTAIN 


UNIVEKSITY:OPCATTP^ 


m  %  V923 


CT 


** 


WM  *1  iy'24 


^19 


;a?4 


5  1927 

J 


§Et  wish 

./JL 

MAY  131925 
DEO  17  1925   NOl/  2q  ) 

AUG  12  1941 


2(bn-l,'22 


YC  45755 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


